Breast Cancer Facts & Statistics

• Every 3 minutes, a woman in the United States is diagnosed with breast cancer.

• Every 13 minutes a woman in the United States die from breast cancer. 

• Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the United States, other than skin cancer.

• Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death in women, after lung cancer.

• Breast cancer accounts for nearly 1 in every 4 cancers diagnosed in US women.

• Approximately 209,060 new breast cancer cases will be diagnosed in women in 2010; 4700 new cases will occur in Tennessee.

• Breast cancer in women will result in about 39,840 deaths in 2010, including 890 from Tennessee.

• You are never too young to develop breast cancer!!  Breast self-exams should begin by age 20.  Women in their 20s and 30s should have a clinical breast exam as part of a periodic health exam by a health professional, at least every 3 years. Women who are 40 years of age and older, should have a breast exam by a health professional once a year.

• Breast cancer risk increases with age and every woman is at risk.  During 2002-2006, woman aged 20-24 had the lowest incidence rate, 1.4 cases per 100,000 women.  Women aged 75-79 had the highest incidence rat, 441.9 per 100,000 women. 

• Having a first degree relative (mother, sister, or daughter) with breast cancer can double a woman’s risk.

• Less than 15% of women with breast cancer have a family history of the disease.

• African American women have a higher rate of death from breast cancer than any other race. 

• In 2010, about 1970 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed in men and about 390 men will die from breast cancer.

** Statistics were obtained through the American Cancer Society’s Website **