Breast Cancer Incidence Rates Vary by Region in U.S. Women Younger Than 40
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
THURSDAY, Feb. 27, 2025 -- For U.S. women younger than 40 years, breast cancer incidence rates vary by geography, according to a study published online Feb. 12 in Cancer Causes & Control.
Rebecca D. Kehm, Ph.D., from Columbia University in New York City, and colleagues analyzed age-adjusted breast cancer incidence rates from 2001 to 2020 in women aged 25 to 39 years using the U.S. Cancer Statistics database. The average annual percentage change (AAPC) was calculated using Joinpoint regression.
The researchers found that in 21 states, breast cancer incidence increased by more than 0.50 percent per year in women younger than 40 years from 2001 to 2020, while incidence remained stable or decreased in other states. Compared with the five states with the lowest rates, incidence was 32 percent higher in the five states with the highest rates. Despite having the lowest absolute incidence rate from 2001 to 2020, the Western region had the highest rate of increase (AAPC, 0.76). Among women aged younger than 40 years, the highest absolute rate of breast cancer was seen in the Northeast, with a significant increase seen over time (AAPC, 0.59). The only region where breast cancer in women younger than 40 years did not increase from 2001 to 2020 was the South.
"Incorporating place-based factors, along with other established risk factors, into risk prediction may enhance our ability to identify groups of younger women who are at higher risk for early-onset breast cancer," the authors write. "This, in turn, can inform targeted strategies for risk reduction, screening, and broader policy and community-based efforts to mitigate the rising rates."
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted February 2025
Read this next
AI Support Improves Breast Cancer Detection Accuracy in Mammography
MONDAY, July 14, 2025 -- Artificial intelligence (AI) support improves radiologists' breast cancer detection accuracy when reading mammograms, according to a study published...
Varying Associations ID'd Between Hormone Therapy, Young-Onset Breast Cancer
THURSDAY, July 10, 2025 -- Associations between hormone therapy and young-onset breast cancer (diagnosed at younger than 55 years) vary, according to a study published online in...
Removing Out-of-Pocket Fee Boosts Rates of Digital Breast Mammography
WEDNESDAY, July 9, 2025 -- Removing a modest out-of-pocket fee significantly improves access to digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT; 3D mammography), particularly among underserved...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.