What: A study found that the increase in breast cancer rates among women ages 25–39 from 2001 to 2020 varied by geographic region. States in the Western region saw the fastest increase, while the Northeast had the highest overall rate for women under 40. In contrast, the South was the only region without an increase in rates for women under 40.
Key line: “The five states with the highest early-onset incidence from 2001 to 2020 were Maryland, New York, New Jersey, Hawaii, and Connecticut…. ‘The increase in incidence we are seeing is alarming and cannot be explained by genetic factors alone, nor by changes in screening practices, given that women under 40 are below the recommended age for routine mammography,’ noted [Rebecca Kehm, PhD, assistant professor of Epidemiology at Columbia Mailman School].”