Breast Cancer

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Over 1.1 million cases of breast cancer are now diagnosed across the world each year, compared with about 500,000 cases in 1975. This represents about 10% of all new cancer cases and 23% of all female cancers.

Observed rates of this cancer increase with industrialisation and urbanisation, and also with facilities for early detection. It remains common in high-income countries such as Europe and the USA, but is now increasing rapidly in middle- and low-income countries, including Africa, much of Asia, and Latin America. Of the total number of cases, 33% are in Asia, most likely due to the large population size.

Breast cancer is the most common cause of cancer-related deaths among women worldwide. With more than 410,000 deaths each year, breast cancer accounts for about 14% of all female cancer deaths and 1.6% of all female deaths worldwide. However, survival is improving as an estimated 4.4 million women diagnosed with breast cancer within the last five years are alive today.

For more information about policies and actions directed at preventing cancer at international, national or local levels, please see our new policy report Policy and Action for Cancer Prevention.

Breast cancer cases worldwide in 2002

Source: GLOBOCAN 2002 (www-dep.iarc.fr)