Breast Cancer Statistics

Who is at risk of breast cancer?

Incidence Of Breast Cancer

All women are at risk of getting breast cancer.

How many people die from breast cancer each year?

In the US during the year 2005, 41,116 women died from breast cancer and 186,467 women were diagnosed with this disease.

In the United States there is variation between race and ethnic background and incidence of breast cancer. For example, breast cancer is the most common cause of death from cancer among Hispanic women.

Amongst Alaska Native, American Indian, Asian Pacific Islander, black and white women, breast cancer is the second most common cause of death by cancer.

When the statistics of women from race and ethnic backgrounds are combined, breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women in the United States, after skin cancer.

Despite more white women being diagnosed with breast cancer, more black women die from this disease in the US.

(Source: U.S. Cancer Statistics Working Group. United States Cancer Statistics: 1999–2005 Incidence and Mortality Web-based Report. Atlanta (GA): Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and National Cancer Institute; 2009.)