Why Are More Young Women Getting Breast Cancer?

From Next Question with Katie Couric by iHeartPodcasts

June 11, 2026 · 1h 32m

About this episode

Katie Couric discusses the rising rates of breast cancer among young women with experts and personal stories.

Cancer has long been considered a disease of aging. But diagnoses among adults under 50 are rising significantly, and breast cancer is a major driver of that increase. In this Next Question episode, presented by Eli Lilly and Company, Katie speaks with Dr. Mary Beth Terry, professor of epidemiology and environmental sciences at Columbia University and Executive Director of the Silent Spring Institute, about what may be fueling this troubling trend. They discuss the latest research on breast cancer risk, including the potential role of environmental exposures, lifestyle factors, and genetics. Later, Katie is joined by Ali Feller, host of the Ali on the Run Show , who shares her experience being diagnosed with breast cancer at 38 and what it’s been like to navigate motherhood while living with Stage 4 disease. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

People in this episode

Host: Katie Couric

Guests: Dr. Mary Beth Terry, Ali Feller

Topics covered

breast cancer
young women
health
environmental exposures
lifestyle factors
genetics

Keywords

breast cancer
young women
diagnosis
environmental factors
lifestyle
genetics
motherhood
Stage 4

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Columbia University, Silent Spring Institute