According to Riverside Health System, breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in young women. It is also the most common form of cancer in women who are pregnant or have recently given birth.

Although many women with breast cancer have a close relative who had previously been diagnosed with breast cancer, 80 percent of all new breast cancer cases occur in women with no (or a remote) family history.

Unfortunately, breast can- cer in young women is more likely to be an aggressive form that is fast-growing, more challenging to treat and has a higher chance of recurrence and spread.

According to Riverside, most breast cancers in young women are self-detected. For women at average risk, screening mammograms are recommended to begin at age 40. In the meantime, if you are a woman under 40, empowering yourself to be aware of how your breasts normally look and feel, and reporting any changes to your health care provider, can save your life.

Riverside recommends that women l...