06/09/2026
***sinthenews
Cancer rates are rising among people under 50, an alarming trend that has led some patients to take preventive measures. While women under 45 make up a small number of overall breast cancer cases, incident rates have increased 1.1% each year for the past 10 years.
Armed with more information than ever about their genetics, women with higher risk factors are opting for surgeries that reduce their odds of developing cancer by as much as 95%.
Doctors specializing in breast reconstruction say they are seeing ever-younger women opting to remove their breasts as a prophylactic measure.
“At this point, seeing a patient in their early 30s is totally routine,” said Dr. Steven Sultan, a plastic and reconstructive surgeon at New York City’s Mount Sinai Hospital, referring to cancer patients.
He said about 20% of his cases are prophylactic, a term that encompasses women who take action as soon as they learn about genetic risk factors and those who have undergone biopsies after suspicious scans but do not have cancer.
In the past few years, he’s seen a notable change in 20-somethings coming into his office, both with cancer as well as for prophylactic surgeries.
“People are getting more proactive about their health,” said Dr. Lisa Cassileth, a plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills specializing in breast surgery.
She said she has seen a 30% increase in women ages 30 to 35 coming in for reconstruction after prophylactic mastectomies in the past three years.
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