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Breast Cancer
Who has it?
Among women, breast cancer is the most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death, only second to lung cancer. Nearly 200,000 women in the United States will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in 2007. It is also estimated that there will be over 40,000 deaths due to breast cancer in 2007. This mortality rate may seem high, but mortality rates have been decreasing every year since 1989. This decline is thought to be due to improvement in cancer treatments and improvement in prevention and early detection techniques.
The incidence of breast cancer begins in early adulthood, with a sharp rise in incidence to the time of menopause. After menopause, the incidence of cancer decreases significantly.
If eight women were to live to be at least 85, one of them would be expected to develop the disease at some point during her life. Two-thirds of women with breast cancer are over 50, and most of the rest are between 39 and 49.
Breast cancer is not a disease that affects only women. One percent of all breast cancers occur in men. According to the American Cancer Society, over 2000 men in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007.
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Who has it?
