Health
Breast cancer diagnoses spiking among women under 50, new report reveals
Although breast cancer deaths have been declining for decades in the U.S., diagnoses have been on the uptick among women 50 and younger.
That’s according to a new report from the American Cancer Society (ACS) — Breast Cancer Statistics, 2024.
The good news is that since 1989, breast cancer mortality has declined overall by 44% — but diagnoses of the disease have been rising by 1% each year between 2012 and 2021.
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The biggest spike was seen among women younger than 50 (1.4% per year) and Asian-American/Pacific-Islander women (up to 2.7% per year), the report revealed.
The findings were published in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.
Although breast cancer deaths have been declining for decades in the U.S., diagnoses have been on the uptick among women 50 and younger. (iStock)
“Although the breast cancer death rate has declined by 44% thanks to advances in early detection and treatment, the continued increase in breast cancer incidence may slow progress in the future,” lead author Angela Giaquinto, associate scientist in cancer surveillance research at the ACS, told Fox News Digital.
That is especially the case among women younger than 50, she said, whose rates are increasing by 1.4% per year compared to 0.7% per year in older women.
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Dr. William Dahut, chief scientific officer at the ACS, noted that women are “a lot less likely” to die from breast cancer, but that “alarming disparities” still remain — particularly for Asian-American, Pacific Islander, Native American and Black women.
“These gaps need to be rectified through systematic efforts to ensure access to high-quality screening and treatment for every woman,” he said in the release.
Women are “a lot less likely” to die from breast cancer, but that “alarming disparities” still remain — particularly for Asian-American, Pacific Islander, Native American and Black women, a researcher noted. (iStock)
The report compiled cancer data from the National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Program of Cancer Registries (NPCR), and the National Center for Health Statistics.
Second only to skin cancer, breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer among women.
“The reasons for the increased prevalence of breast cancer in younger patients are complicated, multifaceted and still being studied.”
This year, approximately 310,720 women will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer and around 42,250 will die from the disease, according to the ACS.
“The increased prevalence of breast cancer is not only an issue in the U.S. — we are seeing similar trends in other countries as well,” Dr. Christopher McGreevy, associate chief of breast surgery at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey, told Fox News Digital.
Potential reasons for the younger trend
“The reasons for the increased prevalence of breast cancer in younger patients are complicated, multifaceted and still being studied,” said McGreevy, who was not involved in the report.
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One reason for early-onset breast cancer is that more patients are obese, the doctor noted.
“Excess weight, particularly after menopause, fuels estrogen production, a key driver of certain breast cancers,” he said.
The best means of prevention is to talk to your doctor about getting screened, according to researchers. (iStock)
Delayed childbearing can also increase the onset of the disease, McGreevy noted, as pregnancy reduces women’s breast cancer risk.
“Environmental toxins, lurking in everything from plastics to pesticides, are also suspected contributors,” he said.
“These endocrine disruptors mimic estrogen in the body, potentially triggering abnormal cell growth.”
Genetics could also factor into the uptick, according to the doctor.
The rise among younger women could also be a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, fueled by delayed diagnoses due to interruptions in screening, according to the researchers. (iStock)
“Certain gene mutations, like BRCA1 and BRCA2, significantly elevate the risk of breast cancer, even at a young age,” he said.
The rise among younger women could also be a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, fueled by delayed diagnoses due to interruptions in screening, according to the researchers.
Potential limitations
There were some limitations associated with the study, the researchers acknowledged.
“The risk and trends in the study are for all women and are not able to account for individual patient characteristics, such as comorbidities or treatment received, or control for social determinants of health, such as insurance status,” Giaquinto told Fox News Digital.
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“We also present statistics for the broadly defined racial and ethnic groups, which mask substantial differences within these populations.”
Prevention tips
The best means of prevention is to talk to your doctor about getting screened, according to Giaquinto.
“Early detection of breast cancer is one of the best tools we have for improving survival,” she told Fox News Digital.
“Women can also reduce their risk of breast cancer by moderating alcohol consumption if they drink, maintaining a healthy body weight and being physically active,” the researcher advised. (iStock)
“All women should keep up to date with their recommended breast cancer screenings. This is especially relevant for younger women, as the recommended age of the United States Preventive Services Task Force was recently dropped to age 40.”
Women should also be aware of their family history and personal risk factors, Giaquinto added.
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“Women can also reduce their risk of breast cancer by moderating alcohol consumption if they drink, maintaining a healthy body weight and being physically active,” the researcher advised.
“About 30% of all breast cancers are attributed to these lifestyle factors.”
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In a dramatic turn of events that’s captured the attention of animal lovers worldwide, Punch — the young macaque at a zoo in Japan famous for his inseparable bond with a stuffed orangutan toy — has reached a major milestone in his journey toward social integration.
On Thursday, visitors and staff at the Ichikawa Zoological and Botanical Garden witnessed a breakthrough: Punch was seen cuddling with and hitching a ride on the back of a fellow macaque.
Punch’s story began with hardship. He was abandoned by his mother shortly after his birth in July 2025 — and to ensure his survival, zookeepers stepped in to hand-rear the primate.
On Jan. 19, 2026, the zoo officially began the process of reintegrating Punch into the “monkey mountain” enclosure.
The transition was initially fraught with tension.
Punch’s story began with hardship when he was abandoned by his mother shortly after he was born. To help him, zookeepers gave him a stuffed toy that he began dragging around everywhere he went. (David Mareuil/Anadolu via Getty Images)
As a hand-reared infant, Punch was bullied and ignored by the established group of monkeys.
He was often seen huddled alone with his orange plush companion while the rest of the troop interacted.
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In an official statement released Feb. 27, the Ichikawa Zoological and Botanical Garden detailed the meticulous care behind this process.
Previous viral videos showed Punch bullied by the rest of the troop, running to his plushy toy for comfort. (David Mareuil/Anadolu via Getty Images)
“From an animal welfare perspective, our primary goal is to reintegrate Punch with the troop,” the zoo said.
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The strategy involved nursing Punch within the enclosure, so the troop could recognize him as one of their own, and pairing him with a gentle young female macaque prior to his full release to build his confidence.
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The latest footage, captured by X user @tate_gf, suggested the zoo’s patience is paying off.
The video shows Punch seeking physical contact not from his toy, but from another monkey — eventually climbing onto its back for a vital social behavior for young macaques: the “piggyback ride.”
The zoo’s strategy appears to be paying off: Punch, shown at far left, was recently seen riding on the back of a fellow macaque. (David Mareuil/Anadolu via Getty Images)
While Punch still carries his stuffed toy for comfort during moments of perceived danger, the zoo remains optimistic about his progress.
The organization cited the successful 2009 case of Otome, another hand-reared macaque who eventually outgrew her stuffed toy, successfully integrated — and went on to raise four offspring of her own.
The zoo has had crowds coming to see Punch, with hundreds of people lining up to get inside to see the young star, according to reports.
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“I’m hoping Punch has a good life like everybody else does, and think he’s a cute little guy,” one person commented online.
“Such a precious baby,” another person wrote.
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This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
Artificial intelligence has been touted as a boon to healthcare, but a new study has revealed its potential shortcomings when it comes to giving medical advice.
In January, OpenAI launched ChatGPT Health, the medical-focused version of the popular chatbot tool.
The company introduced the tool as “a dedicated experience that securely brings your health information and ChatGPT’s intelligence together, to help you feel more informed, prepared and confident navigating your health.”
But researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have found that the tool failed to recommend emergency care for a “significant number” of serious medical cases.
The study, published in the journal Nature Medicine on Feb. 23, aimed to explore how ChatGPT Health — which is reported to have about 40 million users daily — handles situations where people are asking whether to seek emergency care.
Artificial intelligence has been touted as a boon to healthcare, but a new study has revealed its potential shortcomings when it comes to giving medical advice. (iStock)
“Right now, no independent body evaluates these products before they reach the public,” lead author Ashwin Ramaswamy, M.D., instructor of urology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City, told Fox News Digital.
“We wouldn’t accept that for a medication or a medical device, and we shouldn’t accept it for a product that tens of millions of people are using to make health decisions.”
Emergency scenarios
The team created 60 clinical scenarios across 21 medical specialties, ranging from minor conditions to true medical emergencies.
Three independent physicians then assigned an appropriate level of urgency for each case, based on published clinical practice guidelines in 56 medical societies.
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The researchers conducted 960 interactions with ChatGPT Health to see how the tool responded, taking into account gender, race, barriers to care and “social dynamics.”
While “clear-cut emergencies” — such as stroke or severe allergy — were generally handled well, the researchers found that the tool “under-triaged” many urgent medical issues.
The team created 60 clinical scenarios across 21 medical specialties, ranging from minor conditions to true medical emergencies. (iStock)
For example, in one asthma scenario, the system acknowledged that the patient was showing early signs of respiratory failure — but still recommended waiting instead of seeking emergency care.
“ChatGPT Health performs well in medium-severity cases, but fails at both ends of the spectrum — the cases where getting it right matters most,” Ramaswamy told Fox News Digital. “It under-triaged over half of genuine emergencies and over-triaged roughly two-thirds of mild cases that clinical guidelines say should be managed at home.”
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Under-triage can be life-threatening, the doctor noted, while over-triage can overwhelm emergency departments and delay care for those in real need.
Researchers also identified inconsistencies in suicide risk alerts. In some cases, it directed users to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline in lower-risk scenarios, and in others, it failed to offer that recommendation even when a person discussed suicidal ideations.
“ChatGPT Health performs well in medium-severity cases, but fails at both ends of the spectrum.”
“The suicide guardrail failure was the most alarming,” study co-author Girish N. Nadkarni, M.D., chief AI officer of the Mount Sinai Health System, told Fox News Digital.
ChatGPT Health is designed to show a crisis intervention banner when someone describes thoughts of self-harm, the researcher noted.
OpenAI launched ChatGPT Health, the medical-focused version of the popular chatbot tool, in January 2026. (Gabby Jones/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
“We tested it with a 27-year-old patient who said he’d been thinking about taking a lot of pills,” Nadkarni said. “When he described his symptoms alone, the banner appeared 100% of the time. Then we added normal lab results — same patient, same words, same severity — and the banner vanished.”
“A safety feature that works perfectly in one context and completely fails in a nearly identical context … is a fundamental safety problem.”
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The researchers were also surprised by the social influence aspect.
“When a family member in the scenario said ‘it’s nothing serious’ — which happens all the time in real life — the system became nearly 12 times more likely to downplay the patient’s symptoms,” Nadkarni said. “Everyone has a spouse or parent who tells them they’re overreacting. The AI shouldn’t be agreeing with them during a potential emergency.”
Fox News Digital reached out to Open AI, creator of ChatGPT, requesting comment.
Physicians react
Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst, called the new study “important.”
“It underlines the principle that while large language models can triage clear-cut emergencies, they have much more trouble with nuanced situations,” Siegel, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.
ChatGPT and other LLMs can be helpful tools, a doctor said, but they “should not be used to give medical direction.” (iStock)
“This is where doctors and clinical judgment come in — knowing the nuances of a patient’s history and how they report symptoms and their approach to health.”
ChatGPT and other LLMs can be helpful tools, Siegel said, but they “should not be used to give medical direction.”
“Machine learning and continued input of data can help, but will never compensate for the essential problem – human judgment is needed to decide whether something is a true emergency or not.”
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Dr. Harvey Castro, an emergency physician and AI expert in Texas, echoed the importance of the study, calling it “exactly the kind of independent safety evaluation we need.”
“Innovation moves fast. Oversight has to move just as fast,” Castro, who also did not work on the study, told Fox News Digital. “In healthcare, the most dangerous mistakes happen at the extremes, when something looks mild but is actually catastrophic. That’s where clinical judgment matters most, and where AI must be stress-tested.”
Study limitations
The researchers acknowledged some potential limitations in the study design.
“We used physician-written clinical scenarios rather than real patient conversations, and we tested at a single point in time — these systems update frequently, so performance may change,” Ramaswamy told Fox News Digital.
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Additionally, most of the missed emergencies happened in situations where the danger depended on how the condition was changing over time. It’s not clear whether the same problem would happen with acute medical emergencies.
Because the system had to choose just one fixed urgency category, the test may not reflect the more nuanced advice it might give in a back-and-forth conversation, the researchers noted.
ChatGPT Health is designed to show a crisis intervention banner when someone describes thoughts of self-harm. (iStock)
Also, the study wasn’t large enough to confidently detect small differences in how recommendations might vary by race or gender.
“We need continuous auditing, not one-time studies,” Castro noted. “These systems update frequently, so evaluation must be ongoing.”
‘Don’t wait’
The researchers emphasized the importance of seeking immediate care for serious issues.
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“If something feels seriously wrong — chest pain, difficulty breathing, a severe allergic reaction, thoughts of self-harm — go to the emergency department or call 988,” Ramaswamy advised. “Don’t wait for an AI to tell you it’s OK.”
The researchers noted that they support the use of AI to improve healthcare access, and that they didn’t conduct the study to “tear down the technology.”
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“These tools can be genuinely useful for the right things — understanding a diagnosis you’ve already received, looking up what your medications do and their side effects, or getting answers to questions that didn’t get fully addressed in a short doctor’s visit,” Ramaswamy said.
“That’s a very different use case from deciding whether you need emergency care. Treat them as a complement to your doctor, not a replacement.”
“This study doesn’t mean we abandon AI in healthcare.”
Castro agreed that the benefits of AI health tools should be weighed against the risks.
“AI health tools can increase access, reduce unnecessary visits and empower patients with information,” he said. “They are not inherently unsafe, but they are not yet substitutes for clinical judgment.”
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“This study doesn’t mean we abandon AI in healthcare,” he went on. “It means we mature it. Independent testing and stronger guardrails will determine whether AI becomes a safety net or a liability.”
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