Breast cancer in young women has raised alarms in Mexico after specialists pointed out that a significant proportion of cases are detected in women under 40, without adequate early diagnosis protocols. Miryana Pérez Vela, director of the Alba Foundation, explained in an interview with Publimetro that between 11% and 15% of annual breast cancer diagnoses in the country correspond to women under 40 years of age. This percentage, she detailed, is higher than that recorded in other countries, where the incidence in this group usually ranges between 7% and 9%, which places Mexico in an atypical situation. Lack of protocols delays diagnoses. One of the main problems, noted Pérez Vela, is that there are no specific clinical guidelines for the detection of breast cancer in young women. This causes many patients not to be subjected to studies such as mammograms or ultrasounds in early stages, which leads to advanced diagnoses and a lower probability of a cure. “They arrive in advanced stages, which reduces the prognosis and quality of life,” she warned. Risk factors and myths about age. The foundation's director emphasized that one of the main myths is to consider age a protective factor, when in reality the first risk is being a woman. In addition, she explained that between 15% and 20% of cases could be related to genetic factors, although there are also patients without a family history. Campaign seeks early detection. In this context, the Alba Foundation launched the campaign “It's in your hands,” focused on promoting self-examination, body awareness, and timely medical attention. The strategy also seeks to guide women on which specialists to consult, such as mammologists or oncologists, and reduce the time between the appearance of symptoms and diagnosis. Call to not ignore symptoms. The director of the Alba Foundation insisted that cancer is not a synonym for death if detected in time, so she called on women not to ignore signals such as lumps, changes in the skin, or alterations in the nipple. She also urged seeking a second medical opinion in case of doubts and not assuming that youth eliminates the risk, in a context where early detection remains the main challenge.
