11 Breast Cancer Facts

Breast cancer affects many women and men. Being proactive is the best course of action, and it involves early detection and knowledge. Understanding breast cancer puts you one step ahead. Check out these 11 breast cancer facts and increase your understanding about this common cancer.

The two biggest risk factors for developing breast cancer are being female and aging. Since these two risk factors are unpreventable, early detection is key.

#1
The two biggest risk factors for developing breast cancer are being female and aging. Since these two risk factors are unpreventable, early detection is key.

#2
Cancer, most commonly breast cancer, is the second leading cause of death for women in the United States, regardless of age and race. The first leading cause is heart disease.

#3
While breast cancer can affect men and women of any age, the risk increases with age and is more common in women. About 95 percent of cases in the United States are women over the age of 40.

#4
Breast cancer is more common in women, but men are at risk too. There are significantly less men than women diagnosed with breast cancer, but the risk increases with age.

#5
Since 1990, there have been major developments in breast cancer detection, including screening, awareness and treatment. Thanks to these advancements, deaths due to breast cancer have been declining.

#6
Breast cancer affects men and women throughout the entire world. In fact, someone is diagnosed with breast cancer somewhere in the world every 19 seconds.

#7
In the United States, 1 out of every 8 women is diagnosed with breast cancer at some point in their lifetime.

#8
Each year in the United States, about 220,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer. Out of that, more than 40,000 die from the disease.

#9
In the United States, breast cancer takes a women’s life every 13 minutes.

#10
In 25 years, another 10.6 million women will die from breast cancer if the deaths continue at their current rate.

#11
Despite the high number of diagnoses and deaths associated with breast cancer, there are over 2.9 million breast cancer survivors in the United States alone, making it the largest group out of all cancer survivors.

Breast cancer is a deadly disease, so don’t underestimate it. Every woman is at risk, especially as she ages. With the advancements in screening, treatment and knowledge, the deaths have declined, but breast cancer still takes the lives of thousands of women each year.

This information is for educational purposes only and not intended to render medical advice.