Every 2 Minutes, A Woman Is Diagnosed With Breast Cancer In The U.S.

• 1927 – A West Virginia senator introduces a bill to reward the person who finds a cure for cancer and to create a commission to research possible cures.
• 1993 – The National Institute of Health (NIH) Revitalization Act of 1993 pushes the National Cancer Institute to do more to address breast cancer and other “women’s cancers,” resulting in controlled studies being done on MBC risks and treatments.
• 2017 – A 2017 JAMA study found that in the U.S., younger women with breast cancer are increasingly opting to undergo double mastectomies, even if they were diagnosed with early-stage cancer in only one breast.
• 2018 – An estimated two million women find out they have breast cancer. It’s now the most common cancer in women and the second most common cancer overall.
• 2024 – In 2024, an estimated 310,720 women and 2,800 men will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer.
• 2024 – There are currently over 4 million breast cancer survivors in the United States.
• 2024 – An estimated 42,250 U.S. women will die from breast cancer
• Beyond the pink ribbons, special product fundraisers, and the pastel sea of color that marks October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month offers a reason to celebrate and reflect.
• The first line of defense is a monthly self-breast exam. The best time to do a breast exam is about ten days after the onset of your menstrual cycle.
• For those who don’t menstruate, choose a day of the month always to perform the exam.
• 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer in their lives and have to battle a disease that can, at worst, be lethal.
• The most significant risk factors for breast cancer are being female and aging. About 95% of all breast cancers in the US occur in women 40 and older
• Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among women in the US and the first leading cause of cancer death among women globally.
• Every 2 minutes, a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer in the U.S.
• Every minute, somewhere in the world, a woman dies from breast cancer. That’s more than 1,400 women every day
• Each year, it’s expected that about 2,670 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer in the US, and about 500 will die
• 62% of breast cancer cases are diagnosed at a localized stage, for which the 5-year survival rate is 99%.
• The average age of U.S. women diagnosed with breast cancer is 62 years old.
• Half of U.S. women who develop breast cancer are 62 years of age or younger when they are diagnosed.
• About 9% of all new breast cancer cases in the U.S. are diagnosed in women younger than 45 years old.
• Younger people, particularly those under age 35 at the time of their original breast cancer diagnosis, face a higher risk of breast cancer recurrence.
• Breast cancer is the most common cancer in American women, except for skin cancers.
• Female breast cancer represents 15.2% of all new cancer cases in the U.S.
• Women who have close blood relatives with breast cancer have a higher risk. Having a first-degree relative (mother, sister or daughter) with breast cancer almost doubles a woman’s risk.
• Most women (about eight out of 10) who get breast cancer do not have a family history of the disease
• About 5 to 10 percent of breast cancers can be traced to specific, inherited gene mutations, such as the BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations.
• Women of Ashkenazi Jewish heritage are at higher risk of having BRCA mutation. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends testing for BRCA mutations for Ashkenazi Jewish women if they have a first-degree relative with breast or ovarian cancer or two second-degree relatives on the same side of the family with breast or ovarian cancer.
• Exercise is also beneficial to breast cancer survivors. A recent study in Cancer found only a third of survivors meet recommended activity levels.
• Breast cancer statistics by ethnicity:
  • Black Women:
  • The average age of Black women diagnosed with breast cancer is 60 years old, compared to an average age of 62 for white women.
  • Black women are 40% more likely to die from breast cancer than white women.
  • Black women have the lowest 5-year relative breast cancer survival rate of any racial or ethnic group.
  • 1 in 5 Black women with breast cancer are diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer, which is harder to treat. This is higher than any other racial or ethnic group.
  • Hispanic Women:
  • Overall, Hispanic women have a 20% lower incidence rate of breast cancer than other groups.
  • Hispanic women are more likely than white women to be diagnosed with breast cancer at later stages when it is more difficult to treat.
  • Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death for Hispanic women
  • Asian, Pacific Islander, American Indian, and Alaska Native Women:
  • Asian and Pacific Islander women are more likely to be diagnosed with localized (earlier stage, more treatable) breast cancer than other groups.
  • Asian and Pacific Islander women have the lowest death rate from breast cancer.
  • American Indian and Alaska Native women have the lowest incidence rate of developing breast cancer.
  • Chinese and Japanese women have the highest breast cancer survival rates.

Sources:

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National Breast Cancer

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