Treatment of breast cancer in young women

Caring for young women with breast cancer poses unique challenges to clinicians. Early-stage cancers are more likely to be more aggressive and recur in younger women, so aggressive treatment is often indicated. However, the disease and treatments a woman receives have the potential to be highly disruptive to functioning in many realms (e.g., home, work and school). Consideration of the unique issues facing young women early in the course of their care, including not only reducing risk of cancer recurrence and death, but also fertility, genetic and psychosocial concerns, is warranted for optimal care of young women with breast cancer.