Breast Cancer Statistics

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women.

Over 4 million women are living with a history of breast cancer.

Breast cancer is the #2 cancer killer of women, behind lung cancer.

1 in 8 women (13%) will develop breast cancer in her lifetime. 

Breast cancer is most commonly diagnosed among middle-aged and better, but 54% of

breast cancers are diagnosed in women younger than 65.

Metastatic breast cancer (MBC, also called stage IV) is breast cancer that has spread to another part of the body, most commonly the liver, brain, bones, or lungs. MBC statistics are only gathered for an initial diagnosis of Stage IV metastatic disease. Approximately 6-10% of new breast cancer cases are initially Stage IV or metastatic. Statistics are not collected for metastatic recurrences which comprise the larger portion of MBC cases. The number of metastatic recurrences are unknown, but are estimated to range between 20-30% of all existing breast cancer cases. 

There is not enough research to tell us how many breast cancers diagnosed at an earlier stage will later metastasize (spread to another part of the body), but there are now genomic tests available for individual patients to predict the likelihood of their cancer returning.

African American women are 42% more likely to die from breast cancer than white women

and are more likely to be diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer, an aggressive form

of the disease without targeted therapies.

Breast cancer is the #1 cancer killer of Hispanic women, though they are less likely

to be diagnosed than African American or white women.