Breast Cancer in Young Women – a Clinical Challenge to Be Addressed in a Multidisciplinary Setting

different biological subtypes of breast cancer is different in young women with a higher prevalence of triple negative and HER2+ disease [8, 9], but a clear molecular characterization of the biology of breast cancer in young patients is still lacking. In summary, breast cancer in young women is a clinically very challenging topic with limited evidence and a lot of complex issues impacting the management plan that need to be addressed right from the beginning, preferably in a multidisciplinary setting. Next to the aforementioned issues, such as fertility, there is an increased probability of hereditary breast cancer in a young breast cancer patient. This requires access to immediate counseling and gene testing in order to be able to adjust the treatment plan accordingly, in particular regarding surgical management and systemic therapy [13]. Last but not least, management of breast cancer in young women is confounded by psycho-social factors which arise from the very personal issues that young women need to deal with when they are confronted with a breast cancer diagnosis. For example, strong clinical evidence on therapy options may not be convincing enough for a young patient if family planning is a burning topic. Thus, particularly in young women, physicians are challenged with the need to help their patients on a very personal road to – hopefully – full recovery by utilizing the limited available evidence regarding all aspects of modern breast cancer management, such as diagnosis, surgery, radiotherapy, and systemic therapy, and finding a treatment plan that is both rationally and emotionally acceptable for the patient. In this issue of Breast Care, the specific problems of young women with breast cancer are discussed by renowned experts, particularly pregnancy, fertility, and sexuality, as well as specific biological characteristics of the disease in this patient population.