Know the Facts

The five-year relative survival rate for women diagnosed with localized breast cancer (cancer that has not spread to the lymph nodes or outside the breast) is 98.5 percent, says the American Cancer Society. Survival odds increase as more is learned about breast cancer and more people take preventative measures, including routine screenings. Today, there are nearly 3 million breast cancer survivors living in the United States. About 1 in 8 U.S. women — 12% — will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime.

In 2016, an estimated 246,660 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed, along with 61,000 new cases of non-invasive breast cancer (also known as carcinoma in situ). About 40,450 women are expected to die in 2016 from breast cancer, though there has been a decrease in death rates since 1989, with larger decreases in women under 50. These decreases are thought to be the result of treatment advancements, earlier detection through screening, and increased awareness.

For women in the United States, breast cancer death rates are higher than death rates for any other type of cancer, besides lung cancer.

Except for skin cancer, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among American women. In 2016, it’s estimated that just under 30% of cancers diagnosed in women will be breast cancers.

In women under 45, breast cancer is more common in African-American women than white women. Overall, AfricanAmerican women are more likely to die of breast cancer. For Asian, Hispanic, and Native-American women, the risk of developing and dying from breast cancer is lower.

As of June 2016, there were more than 2.8 million women with a history of breast cancer in the U.S. This figure includes women currently being treated and women who have finished treatment.

A woman’s risk of breast cancer nearly doubles if she has a firstdegree relative (mother, sister, daughter) who has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Less than 15% of women who get breast cancer have a family member who has been diagnosed with it.

About 5-10% of breast cancers are thought to be caused by inherited gene mutations (abnormal changes passed through families).

Mutations of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are the most common. Women with a BRCA1 mutation have, on average, a 55-65% risk of developing breast cancer in their lifetimes. For women with a BRCA2 mutation, the lifetime risk is 45%. An increased ovarian cancer risk is also associated with these genetic mutations.

The most significant risk factors for breast cancer are gender (being a woman) and age (growing older).