GET INVOLVED! GET SCREENED!
For the 31 days of Breast Cancer Awareness Month (BCAM), pink ribbons appear as the impact of breast cancer is brought to the forefront of national conversation.
But we know that to help those facing breast cancer, awareness alone isn’t enough.
Key Statistics & Facts About Breast Cancer In The United States:
1 in 8 women, or approximately 13% of the female population in the U.S., will develop breast cancer in their lifetime.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in American women, except for skin cancers.
It is estimated that in 2023, approximately 30% of all new female cancer diagnoses will be breast cancer.
On average, every 2 minutes a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer in the United States.
Approximately 64% of breast cancer cases are diagnosed at a localized stage, before cancer has spread outside of the breast, when it is easiest to treat.
The 5-year relative survival rate for cancer diagnosed at the localized stage is 99%.
Approximately 15% of women diagnosed have a family history of breast cancer. Those with a first-degree relative (mother, sister, daughter) with breast cancer are nearly twice as likely to develop breast cancer themselves.
Breast cancer statistics by age:
Though breast cancer in the United States occurs primarily in middle-aged and older women, age is not the only risk factor for a breast cancer diagnosis. Many risk factors beyond age may contribute to a breast cancer diagnosis, and sometimes there are no discernible risk factors at all.
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.
But there is hope. When caught in its earliest, localized stages, the 5-year relative survival rate is 99%.
Advances in early detection and treatment methods have significantly increased breast cancer survival rates in recent years, and there are currently over 3.8 million breast cancer survivors in the United States.
Awareness of the facts and statistics surrounding breast cancer in the United States is key in empowering individuals to make informed decisions about their health.
Free Educational Guides – National Breast Cancer Foundation
10 Prompts to Mindfulness – National Breast Cancer Foundation
