Rising rates of early-onset breast cancer: Busting the myths

Few health headlines have sparked as much concern and conversation this year as the rise in breast cancer incidence among women under 40.

Since the release of new reports by the American Cancer Society and National Cancer Institute, experts have been racing to solve the riddle of why, despite developments in medicine and growing health consciousness, the life-threatening illness is notably affecting a demographic once believed to be outside the risk group.

Cancer and social epidemiologist Rebecca Kehm, with several other researchers at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, has been part of this investigation, examining geographic variation in the trend. Now, observing the panic, Kehm reminds us that “although rates are increasing, breast cancer is still relatively rare