Breast Cancer Facts*
- Breast cancer, when detected early, can be cured
- 5-year survival rate for localized breast cancer is 98%
- 10-year survival rate is 81% for cancers detected when less than 1 cm in size
- The American Cancer Society spends nearly $100 million a year on research for a breast cancer cure>
- Over 2.5 million breast cancer survivors are alive in the United States today
- A woman’s chance of developing breast cancer in her lifetime is 1 in 8
- Breast Cancer is the most common cancer deaths in women, aside from skin cancer
- Only lung cancer causes more cancer deaths in women
- Each year about 200,000 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed (1 in every 2.5 minutes0
- Over 40,000 women die from breast cancer each year (1 in every 13 minutes)
- About 2,000 male breast cancer cases are diagnosed each year, and almost 440 men will die from the disease
Mammography Facts*
- Mammography screening is the best way to detect breast cancer in its earlier stages, and it saves lives
- Screening mammography reduces breast cancer mortality 25-30% for women ages 50-70 and 18% for women ages 40-50
- Early detection gives women new options for breast-conserving therapy
- 4 of every 10 women don’t get annual mammograms
- 50% of women report moderate to extreme discomfort** when having a mammogram
- 75% of women who don’t return for future screenings give pain as the reason***
- 88% of the pre-invasive breast cancer diagnosed is ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS)
- 5-10% of women undergoing screening mammography will be advised to undergo additional testing based on an abnormal or inconclusive mammogram
* 2009 Cancer Facts and Figures, American Cancer Society, USA
** Dullum, Joanna R. et al., Radiology 2002
*** Carney, Patricia, Cancer, July 15, 2002