Breast cancer is when cells in the breast tissue start to grow out of control and form a tumor. Breast cancer can develop in people of any sex but is much more common in those assigned female at birth.
In 2022, there will be around 290,560 cases of breast cancer diagnosed in the U.S. (2,710 cases of male breast cancer and 287,850 cases of female breast cancer).
Thankfully, the survival rate for breast cancer is good and has been steadily improving over the last 30 years. More than 3.5 million women are currently living with breast cancer.
This article will review the basic facts about breast cancer—including how common it is, who gets it, and how likely it is to be deadly.
Breast Cancer Overview
Breast cancer is a disease defined by an abnormal growth of cells in the breast. It often presents without symptoms. It is typically discovered during regular screenings called a mammogram.
How Common Is Breast Cancer?
Breast cancer is the most common cancer, aside from those developing in the skin. In 2022, an estimated 290,560 new breast cancer cases will be diagnosed. These cases account for about 15% of all new cancer cases. Of these, about 2,710 will develop in males, and 287,850 will develop in females.
Breast cancer incidence peaked in 1999, with a rate of 138.8 newly diagnosed cases per 100,000 women in the American population. This is a rate of 1 out of 720 women diagnosed with breast cancer that year.
While incidence has dipped slightly over the years, it’s still only marginally lower in the most recent years studied. Data collected between 2014 and 2018 showed 131.3 cases for every 100,000 women (about 1 in 788).
An estimated 43,780 people with breast cancer will die in 2022, of which 530 are male and 43,250 are female. Breast cancer will be the cause of about 7% of all cancer deaths in 2022.
Breast Cancer by Ethnicity
Breast cancer is common in people of all ethnicities. While more common in White peple, it is more deadly in Black people. Between 2013 and 2017, the breast cancer death rate was 40% higher in Black people than White people.
Breast cancer in men is also more common and more dangerous for Black people. The incidence of breast cancer in Black men is 1 in 50,000, while the mortality is 1 in 200,000. In White men, these numbers are slightly lower: 1 in 77,000 are diagnosed with male breast cancer and 1 in 333,333 die from it.
Sometimes breast cancer is caused by genetic changes in particular genes, those passed down by your family or that result from your ethnic group.
Some of the lifestyle risk factors for female breast cancer include:
Drinking alcoholBeing overweight or obeseLiving a sedentary lifeNot having childrenNot breastfeedingUsing hormonal birth control or other types of hormone therapy (e. g. , for menopause symptoms)
What Are the Mortality Rates for Breast Cancer?
Based on data from 2012 to 2018, the five-year relative mortality rate is 9.4%. That means 90.6% of people with female breast cancer are alive five years after diagnosis.
The mortality rate for male breast cancer is higher, at 16%. That means that 84% of men who develop breast cancer will still be alive five years after diagnosis. The worse mortality rate in men is primarily due to later diagnosis of breast cancer in males—after a lump has developed and cancer has spread from its original tissue.
Between 2015 and 2019, about 1 in 5,000 women in the U.S. died of breast cancer. Mortality rates for breast cancer have been declining steadily since 1990.
Before 1990, mortality rates for breast cancer in women hovered between 30 to 35 women dying from breast cancer for every 100,000 women in the U.S. population. In 2019 this number dropped below 20 for the first time.
Between 1989 and 2017, breast cancer death dropped by 40%, and 375,900 deaths were avoided during those 28 years.
Screening and Early Detection of Breast Cancer
When screening catches cancers early, they’re easier to treat and cure. The low mortality rate of breast cancer has a lot to do with how early cancer is detected—often before the person can feel a lump.
The usual way to screen for breast cancer is a mammogram. A mammogram machine takes a picture of the breast tissue using X-rays.
The American Cancer Society recommends that women with average risk who are 45 to 54 should get a yearly mammogram to catch breast cancer early. At age 55 and older, they may switch to getting a mammogram every two years or continue with yearly mammograms.
For every 1,000 screenings performed, mammograms detect five breast cancers. Without mammograms, many of these cancers would progress before being found.
A recent study in the ACS journal Cancer showed that women who got mammograms had a 41% reduced risk of dying from breast cancer within 10 years and a 25% reduced chance of being diagnosed with advanced breast cancer.
People who are transgender should discuss their risks with their healthcare provider to determine whether they may benefit from screening for breast cancer.
Summary
Though breast cancer mainly affects only half of the population, it is one of the most common cancers. There are no clear-cut causes of breast cancer, but lifestyle factors can affect how likely you are to develop it.
You may have a predisposition to developing it and other cancers if you have some specific genetic mutations and may be at higher risk if you have a family history of breast cancer. Non-Hispanic Black people have the highest death rates for breast cancer, and non-Hispanic White people have the highest incidence rates.
Thankfully for the hard work of researchers, survival rates for breast cancer have steadily improved over the last 30 years. Along with improved early screening through mammograms and regular self-checks, more than 90% of women diagnosed with breast cancer are alive five years after diagnosis.
Breast swelling—even without a lumpDimpling of the skin dimplingPain in the breast or nipple Nipple turning inwardSkin changes on the nipple or breast (flaking, red, dry, or thick)Discharge from the nipple dischargeLymph nodes that are enlarged from swelling
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