What is the incidence of breast cancer?
In 2006 there were 45,508 new registrations of breast cancer in women in the UK, and 314 in men1.
One in 9 women will develop breast cancer at some time in their life. The estimated risk of developing it for each of the other age groups has been calculated as:
- Up to age 25, 1 in 15,000
- Up to age 30, 1 in 1,900
- Up to age 40, 1 in 200
- Up to age 50, 1 in 50
- Up to age 60, 1 in 23
- Up to age 70, 1 in 15
- Up to age 80, 1 in 11
- Up to age 85, 1 in 10
How does age affect incidence rates of breast cancer?
The incidence of breast cancer increases with age. Eighty per cent of cases occur in post-menopausal women. The risk of developing breast cancer continues to rise as women get older.
Breast cancer is extremely rare in women in their teens or early twenties and uncommon in women under 35. After this age the risk begins to increase, rising sharply after the menopause.
What is the worldwide picture?
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide. It accounts for about 25 per cent of all female malignancies and the proportion is higher in women in western, developed countries. Incidence has been rising in many parts of the world, including the USA, Canada, Europe, the Nordic countries, Singapore and Japan2.
Over one million2 new cases occur each year worldwide.
How many people die from breast cancer in the UK?
11,990 women and 92 men died from breast cancer in 20071.
What are the survival rates in England?
The five-year survival rate for patients diagnosed 2001-2006 in England (period estimates) was 82 per cent3.
The stage at which a woman has breast cancer diagnosed greatly influences her survival chances. In general, the earlier the detection, the greater the chance of survival.
What are the causes of breast cancer?
It is not clear exactly what causes breast cancer but it is thought that there are many risk factors, some already well established and some still being investigated. Age is strongly linked with breast cancer. The risk of breast cancer increases with age. Two breast cancer genes have been identified; BRCA1 and BRCA2. These genes have been found in approximately 85 per cent of families with four or more cases of breast cancer diagnosed under the age of 60. However, only about five per cent of all breast cancer cases (fewer than 2000 per year) are thought to be caused by breast cancer genes. This is the subject of current research.
There is a higher risk of breast cancer in the south of England and in Wales than in the north of the UK. The risk of breast cancer also appears to be higher in women from more affluent backgrounds. There is an increase in risk when people move from low risk to high risk countries. For example, Japanese immigrants to the USA increase their risk of breast cancer and acquire incidence rates similar to the American population within two generations. This suggests that risk may be linked to environmental and behavioural factors.
What are the risk factors?
Known risk factors for breast cancer are:
- being female
- increasing age
- previous history of breast cancer
- having proven benign breast disease in the past
- not breastfeeding long term
- current use of hormone replacement therapy or oral contraceptives
- having a family history of breast cancer
- having no children or few children
- having children at late ages (especially over 30)
- early puberty
- having a later menopause
- obesity (for post-menopausal women only)
- high consumption of alcohol
[2] Globocan 2000
[3] Cancer Research UK 2010