Breast Cancer Statistics
Breast cancer is a devastating and deadly disease that has struck nearly 2 million American women in the past decade. One in eight women will suffer from the disease in her lifetime.
Breast cancer is second only to lung cancer in cancer deaths among women.
Breast cancer is the leading cause of death among women between the ages of 40–59.
In 2008, it is estimated that 182,460 American women will be diagnosed with breast cancer–one every three minutes.
In the same period of time, an estimated 40,480 will die of the disease–one every 13 minutes.
In 2008, it is estimated that 1,990 men will develop breast cancer and 450 will die. Men suffer a higher mortality rate than women because they are unaware that they are at risk and discover the cancer at more advanced stages.
Approximately five to ten percent of breast cancers are due to heredity. The majority of women with breast cancer have no known significant family history or other known risk factors.
The probability of survival is 98 percent–but only for women who get early detection and treatment. There is no known cure for advanced breast cancer.