Breast Cancer Facts + Figures
- Cancers are a group of diseases that cause cells in the body to change and grow out of control.
- Excluding cancers of the skin, breast cancer is the most common cancer among women, accounting for nearly 1 in 3 cancers diagnosed in U.S. women.
- Breast cancer incidence and death rates generally increase with age. During 1998-2002, 95% of new cases and 97% of breast cancer deaths occurred in women aged 40 and older.
- White women have a higher incidence of breast cancer than African American women after age 35. In contract, African American women have a slightly higher incidence rate before age 35 and are more likely to die from breast cancer at every age. Incidence and death rates from breast cancer are lower among women of other racial and ethnic groups.
- An estimated 182,460 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed among women. In addition, an estimated 67,770 new cases of in situ breast cancer will be diagnosed.
- An estimated 1,990 new cases of breast cancer are expected in men.
- An estimated 40,930 deaths (40,480 women and 450 men) are expected this year.
- Besides being female, age is the most important risk factor for breast cancer.
by age 25 |
1 in 19,608 |
by age 35 |
1 in 622 |
by age 45 |
1 in 93 |
by age 55 |
1 in 33 |
by age 65 |
1 in 17 |
by age 75 |
1 in 11 |
|
(Source: National Cancer Institute) |
- Currently, a woman living in the U.S. has a 13.2%, or 1 in 8, lifetime risk of developing breast cancer.
- Women with a family history of breast cancer, especially a first-degree relative (mother, sister, or daughter), have an increased risk of developing breast cancer.
- It is estimated that 5% to 10% of breast cancer cases result from inherited mutations or alterations in the breast cancer susceptibility genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2. These mutations are present in far less than 1% of the general population.
- Mammography is the single most effective method of early detection, since it can identify cancer several years before physical symptoms develop.
- Mammography is highly accurate. On average, it will detect about 80%-90% of breast cancers in women without symptoms.
- Ultrasound is increasingly being used as an adjunct to mammography to find breast tumors in women with dense breast tissue.
(Source: American Cancer Society)