A Patient Decision Aid

Although breast cancer is less common in young women it is still the most common cancer in women under the age of 40. The impact of a diagnosis of breast cancer at a young age may naturally lead to concerns about the future, your family, your partner and children. Thanks to modern medicine however many women will have potentially curable cancer. As part of the treatment many women will have a choice between mastectomy and breast conserving surgery (“lumpectomy” and breast radiotherapy), and it is hoped that the information here will help with that decision. Making the decision on what surgery is best for you will depend on a number of issues, and many women find that understanding and being involved in the decision making is beneficial. Discussion with family and friends may also be useful.

This web site is what is known as a decision aid. It is an information resource that will help you read information about breast cancer in young women, and its treatment. This decision aid is focused on information relating to breast surgery to remove the cancer from the breast. This resource was written with the help of young women, who just like you, went through a diagnosis of breast cancer, and had surgery to treat it. We have included all the information these women found to be useful, and hope you find it helpful too.

The information is contained in separate web pages. Please click on the titles above to read about breast cancer, types of breast cancer, and the different treatments offered. There is a section on breast surgery where you can access information to understand what surgery is best for you, and useful information to prepare for the surgery, and for your recovery, return home, and any further treatments following surgery.