Main Menu:

• Breast Cancer Cases/Deaths Per Year (U.S. and World)
• Incidence By Age
• Incidence by Ethnic Group
• Staging and Survival Rates
• Statistics on Mammography
• Links to Other Breast Cancer Statistics

Breast Cancer Cases/Deaths Per Year (U.S. and World)

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in women today (after lung cancer) and is the most common cancer among women, excluding nonmelanoma skin cancers. According to the American Cancer Society, about 1.3 million women will be diagnosed with breast cancer annualluy worldwide about 465,000 will die from the disease. Breast cancer death rates have been dropping steadily since 1990, according to the Society, because of earlier detection and better treatments. About 40,910 breast cancer deaths are expected in 2007.

According to the American Cancer Society, in general, breast cancer rates have risen about 30% in the past 25 years in western countries, due in part to increased screening which detects the cancer in earlier stages. In the United States, though, breast cancer rates decreased by 10% between 2000-2004, due in part to a reduction in the use of hormone replacement therapy. Although breast cancer rates are rising in many western countries, deaths from the disease have decreased in some countries as a result of improved screening and treatment.

The lifetime probability of developing breast cancer in developed countries is about 4.8%, according to the American Cancer Society (the probability is about 13% for any type of cancer). In developing countries, the lifetime probability of developing breast cancer is about 1.8%.

Incidence By Age

This risk model is based on population averages. Each woman's breast cancer risk may be higher or lower, depending upon a several factors, including family history, genetics, age of menstruation, and other factors that have not yet been identified.

While breast cancer is less common at a young age (i.e., in their thirties), younger women tend to have more aggressive breast cancers than older women, which may explain why survival rates are lower among younger women.

Incidence By Ethnic Group

All women are at risk for developing breast cancer. The older a woman is, the greater her chances of developing breast cancer. Approximately 77% of breast cancer cases occur in women over 50 years of age.

According to the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program of the National Cancer Institute:

• White, Hawaiian, and African-American women have the highest incidence of invasive breast cancer in the United States (approximately four times higher than the lowest group).
• Korean, American Indian, and Vietnamese women have the lowest incidence of invasive breast cancer in the United States.
• African-American have the highest death rate from breast cancer and are more likely to be diagnosed with a later stage of breast cancer than White women.
• In the age groups, 30-54 and 55-69 years, African-American women have the highest death rate from breast cancer, followed by Hawaiian women, and white non-Hispanic women. However, in the 70 year old age group, the death rate from breast cancer for white women is higher than for African –American.

Staging and Survival Rates

Staging is the process physicians use to assess the size and location of a patient’s cancer. This information helps determine the most optimal form of treatment. Breast cancer stages range from Stage 0 (very early form of cancer) to Stage IV (advanced, metastatic breast cancer). Click here for a detailed explanation of each stage of breast cancer.

The five-year survival rate for breast cancer is calculated based on averages. Each patient’s individual tumor characteristics, state of health, genetic background, etc. will impact her survival. In addition, levels of stress, immune function, will to live, and other unmeasurable factors also play a significant role in a patient’s survival.

Statistics on Mammography

The key to surviving breast cancer is early detection and treatment. According to the American Cancer Society, when breast cancer is confined to the breast, the five-year survival rate is close to 100%. The early detection of breast cancer helps reduce the need for therapeutic treatment and minimizes pain and suffering, allowing women to continue leading happy, productive lives.

Beginning at the age of 20, every woman should practice monthly breast self-exams and begin a routine program of breast health, including scheduling physician performed clinical breast exams at least every three years. As a woman ages, her risk of breast cancer also increases. About 77% of women with breast cancer are over age 50 at the time of diagnosis. Women between the ages of 20 and 29 account for only 0.3% of breast cancer cases. Beginning at the age of 40, all women should have annual screening mammograms, receive clinical breast exams each year, and practice breast self-exams every month.

Links to Other U.S. Breast Cancer Statistics

• American Cancer Society Breast Cancer Facts & Figures: http://www.cancer.org/
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Cancer Data http://www.cdc.gov/
• SEER Cancer Statistics Review, 1973-2004 (National Cancer Institute) http://seer.cancer.gov/
• International Agency for Research on Cancer: http://www-dep.iarc.fr/

Updated: January 23, 2008

Return to Breast Health Main Menu