Research

One of the many challenges young women face when they are diagnosed is finding treatment data that is relevant to their age group to help them make educated treatment decisions. Most research is focused on post-menopausal women, and premenopausal women—particularly those in their 20s and 30s—are dramatically under-represented. This gap in research data makes it even more challenging for young women to navigate through their breast cancer experience, which is already wrought with unique challenges.

A key strategy to achieve the YSC's mission is increasing the quality and quantity of research done on young women affected by breast cancer by defining the unanswered questions and critical issues surrounding young women affected by the disease, such as: better screening methodologies, long-term effects of treatment, hormonal treatments, fertility issues and the pathological differences in a younger woman's disease.

YSC is working to define the greatest research needs within the population, and advocating those needs to doctors and researchers to help us unlock the keys as to why young women get breast cancer, in hopes of answering the question of why women of all ages are diagnosed with the disease.

It is our hope that the YSC can influence and increase the amount of research for young women. In order to do that, we must motivate young women to participate in clinical trials and research whenever possible. With your involvement and the help of influential members of the medical community, together we can build a partnership to finally bridge the gaps in research that currently exist.

Participating in Clinical Trials

Clinical research trials are extremely important in expanding treatment options in all cancers. It is especially important that young survivors participate in clinical trials. There is very little information available to young women diagnosed with breast cancer. If those who are eligible participate in clinical trials with post menopausal women, then physicians will be able to see how the drug behaves differently or similarly in the pre-menopausal woman. The treatments that are available today are due to the participation of other cancer patients in clinical research trials. The medical community is constcontinually trying to identify better treatments to cure cancer. There are also studies to identify less toxic treatments or agents, which can protect the normal tissues and minimize side effects of treatment. Clinical research trials are very rewarding for both the patient and the physician. The patient may benefit from new treatment options and help future cancer patients in their fight against cancer.

Increased clinical trial participation makes a difference. For example, mortality in childhood cancers has dropped 57% since the early 1970s. It is no coincidence that 70% of cancer patients under age 19 participate in clinical trials. Only 1.5% of patients 50 and older participate in clinical trials. In order to discover better ways of detecting, preventing, treating and curing cancer we depend on cancer patients participating in clinical trials.

Learn more about clinical trials, a type of research study that tests how well new medical approaches work in a select population of people. These studies test new methods of screening, prevention, diagnosis or treatment of a disease.