Young Women with Breast Cancer
Led by Dr. Shari Goldfarb, our program offers excellent cancer care while keeping your quality of life. During treatment and throughout survivorship, Dr. Goldfarb and the breast disease management team will support you during this challenging time.
Overview
Our program is just for people with early on-set breast cancer and those aged 45 and younger facing breast cancer.
Our mission is to provide cancer care based on the latest evidence from research. You’ll have access to research studies, also called clinical trials, and resources just for people with breast cancer. Our focus is improving your long-term health and quality of life.
"There’s a clear need to improve the health and quality of life for young women with breast cancer,” says Program Director Dr. Shari Goldfarb. “Our roadmap will guide you through every challenge.”
MSK has experts in all types of breast cancer therapy. We’re a leader in clinical trials, so you’ll have access to the latest research. Our goal is to improve treatment results for you and other young people in the future.
“We have devoted our lives to helping people with breast cancer,” adds Dr. Goldfarb. “We understand you’re much more than your diagnosis and want to feel full of life and strong again. We’re here for you.”
You may be a woman in your 20s or 30s who just learned you have early-onset breast cancer. Early onset means breast cancer in your 20s, 30s, and 40s.
What you’re going through is not the same as older adults with cancer.
As a young person, you have many things happening in your life. You may be finishing school, starting your career, growing your family, or caring for children or aging parents. A cancer diagnosis and treatment can affect your life plans.
As well, there are a few ways breast cancer therapies and side effects affect younger people more than older people. They include sexual health, fertility, how your hormones function (work), and body image.
MSK treats many young people for breast cancer. We understand you need special services to help you get through treatment, recover, and live your life.
It’s normal to feel nervous before follow-up visits. Try to schedule activities that can help. Go for walks, do a calming exercise like yoga, or listen to a soothing meditation. Our Integrative Medicine Service offers acupuncture, meditation, massage therapy, yoga, and exercise.
If you have a family history of breast cancer, MSK's experts in genetic counseling and testing can help manage your risk.
We understand the challenges you face as a young woman who just learned you have breast cancer.
Treatment can get in the way of busy lives for you and your loved ones. We’re here to help you manage both your physical and emotional needs.
We provide support when breast cancer treatments affect your sexual and reproductive health, fertility, bone health, and professional life.
Our team will hear all your concerns, assess your needs, and make a plan that’s best for you. Your care team is ready to support you every step of the way.
Our program can connect you with people at MSK who can help with many parts of your life. They include MSK experts in social work, managing careers, and fertility treatments such as freezing eggs or embryos before treatment.
Program details
We have devoted our lives to helping people with breast cancer. We understand you’re much more than your diagnosis.
Our team includes experts in all types of breast cancer therapies. They have special knowledge and training in treatments for early-onset, locally advanced, and metastatic breast cancers.
Dr. Shari Goldfarb is the program’s director. Our program coordinator is Alanna Jamner. She will help connect you to MSK services and community resources.
Shari Goldfarb, MD
Breast Medical Oncologist, Program Director
Alanna Jamner, MPA, MSc
Program Coordinator
MSK’s plastic and reconstructive surgeons are experts in all options for breast reconstruction after cancer. Our surgeons do nearly 3,000 breast reconstruction procedures each year. This is among the highest in the country.
When you get breast cancer at 20, or breast cancer at 30, you have different needs than older women.
MSK is a world-class cancer center that treats thousands of young women with breast cancer each year. We understand the special services you need. We focus on treating the whole person, not just cancer.
MSK is a leader in clinical trials. People who join our clinical trials may get the latest cancer treatment available, sometimes years before it’s offered anywhere else.
Keeping your fertility
Perhaps you’re trying to have a child or think you may want to start a family someday.
Many young adults worry about fertility and whether they can still have biological children. A cancer diagnosis does not mean you cannot get pregnant.
MSK’s fertility nurse specialists can help you. They’ll explain your options for preserving your fertility and building your family before and after cancer treatment.
You can learn more by reading Common Questions About Fertility After Cancer Treatment.
Sexual health and intimacy
Cancer affects your sex life in both physical and emotional ways. Our Female Sexual Medicine & Women’s Health Program can help with physical symptoms and emotional challenges.
We can talk with you about physical changes that affect intimacy. We can offer support for both you and your partners.
You can listen to MSK’s podcast episode, A Woman’s Guide to Sex and Cancer. It includes honest information about how cancer treatment affects your physical and emotional sexual health.
Body image
Breast cancer and its treatment can affect your feelings about your body.
MSK’s plastic and reconstructive surgeons are experts in all breast cancer reconstruction options. Our surgeons do nearly 3,000 breast reconstruction procedures each year. This is among the highest in the country.
Our plastic and reconstructive surgeons will take the time to understand your personal goals for surgery. We aim to help you look and feel your best, based on what matters most to you. They’ll work with you on a surgery plan that meets your needs. You also may choose not to rebuild your breasts after surgery.
A breast cancer diagnosis can affect you both physically and emotionally. We have many services to help. We offer counseling to help you and your family. Our experts can help you manage anxiety and other emotions related to breast cancer and its treatment.
We offer support groups and programs where you can meet other people going through a similar experience. We have a support group just for our young women with breast cancer. Support groups are both in person and virtual.
Our social workers are an important part of your care team. You can have an individual consultation, or group visits. They can be for 1 visit or ongoing.
Social workers can offer advice about how to talk about your diagnosis with your children, parents, colleagues, and friends.
If you’re interested, your social worker also can match you with a peer who recently went through similar treatment. MSK social workers also can help with your concerns about money and paying for treatment.
Breast cancer at a young age may mean you have a type caused by inherited genes passed on by your parent. This genetic change (mutation or variant) can raise your risk for breast cancer. Genetic testing and counseling can show if you have a mutation, and what it means for your treatment options.
Common questions
Can MSK help me with the side effects of breast cancer treatment?
We’re experts in managing the side effects of treatment for breast cancer.
Pain management is an important part of cancer care. MSK was the first cancer center in the country to have a service just for treating pain in people with cancer.
Our pain experts will help relieve or manage pain after surgery. They can help while you’re still in the hospital, and after you’re home.
We have experts who manage the symptoms and side effects of cancer treatment, such as nausea during chemotherapy.
MSK has a program for treating lymphedema, a type of swelling after breast cancer treatment.
Does MSK offer integrative medicine?
Yes. Our Integrative Medicine Service (also called complementary therapies) offers acupuncture, meditation, massage therapy, yoga, and exercise.
Cancer therapies can cause side effects. You may want support to cope with chronic pain, fatigue (feeling very tired), nerve problems, nausea, insomnia, and stress.
Without the use of prescription drugs, integrative therapies can help improve and control these lasting side effects of cancer treatments.
Can rehabilitation help me get my strength back?
Cancer treatment can change how well your body moves. Our Rehabilitation Medicine team guides you in recovering from the effects of treatment. Training with our physical, occupational, and exercise therapists can help bring your strength back. We can help you regain mobility after a mastectomy.
We can work with you in our gyms at convenient locations closer to home. We have locations in Manhattan, New Jersey, Westchester County, and on Long Island. Your care team also can give you exercise programs to do at home.
Can MSK help me with how to pay for cancer care?
MSK offers financial help in a few ways, depending on your needs. Our financial assistance program can help people pay for cancer care.
Our insurance counselors can answer questions about what health insurance pays for if you come to MSK for care. If you have questions about your insurance coverage, please call our Patient Billing Services team at 646-497-9176.
We can also guide you about the cost of prescription drugs. We can help you apply for assistance programs offered by drug companies and foundations.
