Breast cancer facts

  • The first noticeable symptom of breast cancer is typically a lump that feels different from the rest of the breast tissue.
  • Every thirteen minutes a woman dies of breast cancer.
  • Breast cancer is cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk.
  • 1 in 8 women will get breast cancer in her lifetime.
  • 71% of black women diagnosed with breast cancer experience a 5-year survival rate, while 86% of white women experience 5-year survival.
  • Worldwide, breast cancer comprises 10.4 percent of all cancer incidence among women, making it the most common type of non-skin cancer in women and the fifth most common cause of cancer death.
  • Only five percent to ten percent of breast cancers occur in women with a clearly defined genetic predisposition for the disease.
  • 77% of women with breast cancer are over fifty.96% of women who find and treat breast cancer early will be cancer-free after 5 years.
  • Radiation is usually added to the surgical bed to control cancer cells that were missed by the surgery.
  • Women can reduce their risk by maintaining a healthy weight, drinking less alcohol, being physically active and breastfeeding their children.
  • A woman who had breast cancer in one breast has an increased risk of getting cancer in her other breast.