Celebrity breast cancer announcements highlight rising rates in young women

Several young celebrities have announced breast cancer diagnoses in the past year — a public reminder that rates are rising among women under 50 in the U.S.Pop singer Jessie J, 37, revealed last week on Instagram that she has early-stage breast cancer and plans to undergo surgery this month.

Several young celebrities have announced breast cancer diagnoses in the past year — a public reminder that rates are rising among women under 50 in the U.S.

Pop singer Jessie J, 37, revealed last week on Instagram that she has early-stage breast cancer and plans to undergo surgery this month. Katie Thurston, former star of “The Bachelorette,” has documented her journey with Stage 4 breast cancer on social media after being diagnosed this year at age 34. And actor Danielle Fishel, known for her role on the ’90s sitcom “Boy Meets World,” revealed her diagnosis at age 43 to fans last summer.

New breast cancer diagnoses in young women have gone up considerably in the last decade. From 2012 to 2021 — the most recent decade of data — the rate increased 1.4% annually in women under 50, compared with 0.7% annually in women 50 and up.

The trend applies to all racial or ethnic groups, particularly Asian American and Pacific Islander women under 50, for whom diagnoses have risen nearly 50% since 2000. Black women have the highest rate of breast cancer before age 40 and are most likely to die of the disease.

Women under 40 generally aren’t advised to get mammograms unless they have a strong risk factor for breast cancer, such as a family history or genetic mutation. In that case, the American Cancer Society recommends mammograms starting at age 30, plus an annual breast MRI.