Health Professionals Urge Early Breast Cancer Testing as Diagnoses Increase among Younger Caribbean Women: Recent Data Reveals Troubling Trend

Health professionals in the Caribbean are urging women to seek early testing for breast cancer, as recent data reveals a troubling increase in diagnoses among women between the ages of 30 and 39.

During a recent webinar titled ‘Join the Fight: A conversation about breast cancer,’ organized by Sagicor Life, a Primary Care Physician from St Kitts and Nevis, Dr Kesiha Liddie, issued a stark warning about the shifting landscape of breast cancer diagnoses over the past five to six years.

“The important thing is to become aware very early,” Dr Liddie said. She noted that while breast cancer diagnoses have historically been associated with older age and a higher incidence in females compared to males, there is a growing trend of breast cancer being detected in younger women.

Data from St Kitts underscored this concerning trend. Dr Liddie shared statistics indicating that the country reported 36 cases this year within the age group of 50 to 59 and 23 cases in ages 40 to 49. There were no cases found under the age of 30.

However, there were 14 cases diagnosed in women aged 30 to 39, marking a significant increase in diagnoses among younger women compared to previous years when the majority of cases occurred in women aged 50 and above.

Dr Asante Le Blanc, Chairperson of the Trinidad and Tobago Cancer Society, delved into potential risk factors beyond age that might be contributing to the rising number of cases among younger women. She emphasized that while family history and lifestyle choices may be influential, environmental factors, including climate change, were also playing a significant role in the escalating cancer incidence.

Furthermore, Dr Le Blanc stressed the importance of awareness and vigilance, both personally and professionally, highlighting risks associated with the prolonged use of birth control and exposure to carcinogens, formaldehyde, and radiation in certain occupations and lifestyles.

She pointed out that the rise in breast cancer diagnoses among younger women, while concerning, reflects an increased awareness of the disease and underscores the need for preventive measures.

“Screening for breast cancer is a very holistic programme and that means from our young age of puberty, we need to teach young girls about their breasts and how to do self-breast examinations because it aids in terms of you understanding what your breasts feel like on a monthly basis before even having to do a clinical breast exam,” Le Blanc said.