Breast cancer experts urge women to complete risk assessments at an early age

Breast cancer experts are calling on women to complete risk assessments at an early age.  

October 1 marks the start of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  

Data from the Breast Imaging Society of South Africa shows that 20% of breast cancer cases occur in women under 40.  

According to the group, breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer among South African women. 

It was found that most breast cancer patients are post-menopausal, but there has been a rise in younger women getting diagnosed with the cancer.  

The Breast Imaging Society of South Africa's Dr Peter Schoub said they hadn’t determined the exact cause of why younger women were developing breast cancer.

"In South Africa, some of the possibilities are that we have a younger population and therefore a larger portion of the breast cancers diagnosed will be in younger women, there is more awareness about breast cancer and I think people are getting tested at an earlier stage, so we are picking up more."