New cases come from SEER 12. Deaths come from U.S. Mortality. All Races, Females. Rates are Age-Adjusted. Modeled trend lines were calculated from the underlying rates using the Joinpoint Trend Analysis Software. The 2020 incidence rate is displayed but not used in the fit of the trend line(s). Impact of COVID on SEER Cancer Incidence 2020 data
New cases are also referred to as incident cases in other publications. Rates of new cases are also referred to as incidence rates.
Age-Adjusted Rates of New Cases/Deaths Per 100,000 & 5-Year Relative Survival Percentages
Year
Rate of New Cases — SEER 8
Rate of New Cases — SEER 12
Death Rate — U.S.
5-Year Relative Survival — SEER 8
Observed
Modeled Trend
Observed
Modeled Trend
Observed
Modeled Trend
Observed
Modeled Trend
1975
106.03
103.49
-
-
31.45
31.48
76.20%
75.59%
1976
102.14
103.33
-
-
31.80
31.59
75.83%
75.80%
1977
101.66
103.17
-
-
32.48
31.70
76.47%
76.01%
1978
101.96
103.01
-
-
31.73
31.82
75.40%
76.21%
1979
102.61
102.85
-
-
31.21
31.93
75.22%
76.41%
1980
103.25
102.69
-
-
31.68
32.04
75.86%
76.61%
1981
105.10
102.53
-
-
31.92
32.16
76.30%
76.81%
1982
105.32
106.94
-
-
32.19
32.27
77.68%
77.01%
1983
110.03
111.54
-
-
32.07
32.39
77.64%
77.21%
1984
115.73
116.33
-
-
32.90
32.50
79.17%
78.89%
1985
123.78
121.34
-
-
32.98
32.62
79.52%
80.46%
1986
126.92
126.55
-
-
32.87
32.73
81.42%
81.94%
1987
134.03
132.00
-
-
32.66
32.85
83.96%
83.31%
1988
131.14
131.70
-
-
33.20
32.97
85.47%
84.59%
1989
127.19
131.40
-
-
33.23
33.08
84.85%
85.13%
1990
131.03
131.10
-
-
33.14
33.20
85.52%
85.65%
1991
132.13
130.80
-
-
32.69
32.61
86.45%
86.16%
1992
131.30
130.50
129.17
126.21
31.64
32.04
86.65%
86.66%
1993
128.85
130.21
126.74
128.00
31.39
31.47
86.34%
87.13%
1994
131.33
129.91
128.71
129.83
30.92
30.91
87.37%
87.59%
1995
131.99
132.46
130.23
131.67
30.55
30.37
87.33%
88.04%
1996
134.50
135.05
132.39
133.55
29.49
29.39
87.21%
88.47%
1997
137.86
137.70
135.73
135.45
28.21
28.44
89.38%
88.88%
1998
141.57
140.39
138.79
137.38
27.54
27.52
90.26%
89.29%
1999
142.30
143.14
138.76
139.34
26.61
26.99
90.05%
89.67%
2000
136.63
139.75
134.03
136.12
26.64
26.47
90.44%
90.05%
2001
139.41
136.44
135.91
132.98
26.01
25.97
90.24%
90.41%
2002
136.68
133.21
133.08
129.91
25.62
25.47
90.92%
90.76%
2003
126.67
130.06
123.68
126.91
25.27
24.98
90.66%
90.91%
2004
128.11
126.98
124.55
123.98
24.49
24.50
90.74%
91.07%
2005
126.99
127.44
124.47
124.37
24.14
24.04
91.36%
91.21%
2006
126.32
127.91
122.51
124.76
23.56
23.58
91.75%
91.36%
2007
128.76
128.38
126.28
125.16
22.96
23.12
91.70%
91.51%
2008
129.51
128.84
126.84
125.55
22.55
22.68
91.55%
91.65%
2009
130.62
129.31
127.35
125.95
22.24
22.25
92.05%
91.79%
2010
127.76
129.79
123.86
126.35
21.93
21.82
91.67%
91.93%
2011
130.98
130.26
127.36
126.74
21.58
21.56
92.39%
92.06%
2012
130.03
130.74
126.63
127.15
21.34
21.29
91.92%
92.19%
2013
131.04
131.21
127.27
127.55
20.84
21.03
92.26%
92.33%
2014
132.22
131.69
126.80
127.95
20.68
20.77
92.22%
92.46%
2015
132.66
132.17
129.12
128.35
20.47
20.52
92.93%
92.58%
2016
132.30
132.65
128.80
128.76
20.22
20.27
93.12%
92.71%
2017
133.57
133.14
129.86
129.17
20.07
20.02
-
92.83%
2018
134.95
135.45
130.64
131.17
19.96
19.77
-
92.95%
2019
137.81
137.81
133.81
133.21
19.60
19.53
-
93.07%
2020
124.68
140.21
120.55
135.29
19.29
19.29
-
93.19%
2021
142.77
142.65
137.22
137.39
19.06
19.06
-
93.30%
2022
-
-
-
-
18.72
18.82
-
93.42%
Rate of New Cases and Deaths per 100,000: The rate of new cases of female breast cancer was 129.4 per 100,000 women per year. The death rate was 19.3 per 100,000 women per year. These rates are age-adjusted and based on 2017–2021 cases and 2018–2022 deaths.
Lifetime Risk of Developing Cancer: Approximately 13.1 percent of women will be diagnosed with female breast cancer at some point during their lifetime, based on 2018–2021 data, excluding 2020 due to COVID.
Prevalence of This Cancer: In 2021, there were an estimated 3,972,256 women living with female breast cancer in the United States.
Did You Know? Video Series
Did You Know? Video Series
How Many People Survive 5 Years Or More after Being Diagnosed with Female Breast Cancer?
Relative survival is an estimate of the percentage of patients who would be expected to survive the effects of their cancer. It excludes the risk of dying from other causes. Because survival statistics are based on large groups of people, they cannot be used to predict exactly what will happen to an individual patient. No two patients are entirely alike, and treatment and responses to treatment can vary greatly.
5-Year Relative Survival
91.2%
Based on data from SEER 22 (Excluding IL/MA) 2014–2020. Gray figures represent those who have died from female breast cancer. Green figures represent those who have survived 5 years or more.
Cancer stage at diagnosis, which refers to extent of a cancer in the body, determines treatment options and has a strong influence on the length of survival. In general, if the cancer is found only in the part of the body where it started it is localized (sometimes referred to as stage 1). If it has spread to a different part of the body, the stage is regional or distant. The earlier female breast cancer is caught, the better chance a person has of surviving five years after being diagnosed. For female breast cancer, 63.5% are diagnosed at the local stage. The 5-year relative survival for localized female breast cancer is 99.6%.
Percent of Cases & 5-Year Relative Survival by Stage at Diagnosis: Female Breast Cancer
Stage
Percent of Cases
5-Year Relative Survival
Localized Confined to Primary Site
63%
99.6%
Regional Spread to Regional Lymph Nodes
28%
86.7%
Distant Cancer Has Metastasized
6%
31.9%
Unknown Unstaged
3%
69.7%
Percent of Cases by Stage
Localized (63%) Confined to Primary Site
Regional (28%) Spread to Regional Lymph Nodes
Distant (6%) Cancer Has Metastasized
Unknown (3%) Unstaged
5-Year Relative Survival
SEER 22 (Excluding IL/MA) 2014–2020, All Races, Females by SEER Combined Summary Stage
Compared to other cancers, female breast cancer is fairly common.
Rank
Common Types of Cancer
Estimated New Cases 2024
Estimated Deaths 2024
1.
Breast Cancer (Female)
310,720
42,250
2.
Prostate Cancer
299,010
35,250
3.
Lung and Bronchus Cancer
234,580
125,070
4.
Colorectal Cancer
152,810
53,010
5.
Melanoma of the Skin
100,640
8,290
6.
Bladder Cancer
83,190
16,840
7.
Kidney and Renal Pelvis Cancer
81,610
14,390
8.
Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
80,620
20,140
9.
Uterine Cancer
67,880
13,250
10.
Pancreatic Cancer
66,440
51,750
Female breast cancer represents 15.5% of all new cancer cases in the U.S.
15.5%
In 2024, it is estimated that there will be 310,720 new cases of female breast cancer and an estimated 42,250 people will die of this disease.
Who Gets This Cancer?
Female breast cancer is most common in middle-aged and older women. Although rare, men can develop breast cancer as well. The rate of new cases of female breast cancer was 129.4 per 100,000 women per year based on 2017–2021 cases, age-adjusted.
Rate of New Cases per 100,000 Persons by Race/Ethnicity: Female Breast Cancer
Males
All Races
Sex-specific cancer type
Hispanic
Non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native
Non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islander
Non-Hispanic Black
Non-Hispanic White
Females
All Races
129.4
Hispanic
101.2
Non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native
113.0
Non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islander
110.3
Non-Hispanic Black
129.3
Non-Hispanic White
139.0
All Races
Hispanic
Non-Hispanic American Indian/ Alaska Native
Non-Hispanic Asian / Pacific Islander
Non-Hispanic Black
Non-Hispanic White
SEER 22 2017–2021, Age-Adjusted
Percent of New Cases by Age Group: Female Breast Cancer
Age Range
Percent of New Cases
<20
0.0%
20–34
2.0%
35–44
8.4%
45–54
18.2%
55–64
25.1%
65–74
27.1%
75–84
14.2%
>84
5.0%
Female breast cancer is most frequently diagnosed among women aged 65–74.
Median Age At Diagnosis
63
SEER 22 2017–2021, All Races, Females
Who Dies From This Cancer?
Overall, female breast cancer survival is good. However, women who are diagnosed at an advanced age may be more likely than younger women to die of the disease. Female breast cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the United States. The death rate was 19.3 per 100,000 women per year based on 2018–2022, age-adjusted.
Death Rate per 100,000 Persons by Race/Ethnicity: Female Breast Cancer
Males
All Races
Sex-specific cancer type
Hispanic
Non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native
Non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islander
Non-Hispanic Black
Non-Hispanic White
Females
All Races
19.3
Hispanic
13.7
Non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native
17.8
Non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islander
11.9
Non-Hispanic Black
26.8
Non-Hispanic White
19.4
All Races
Hispanic
Non-Hispanic American Indian/ Alaska Native
Non-Hispanic Asian / Pacific Islander
Non-Hispanic Black
Non-Hispanic White
U.S. 2018–2022, Age-Adjusted
Percent of Deaths by Age Group: Female Breast Cancer
Age Range
Percent of Deaths
<20
0.0%
20–34
0.9%
35–44
4.3%
45–54
10.4%
55–64
20.2%
65–74
24.9%
75–84
21.6%
>84
17.6%
The percent of female breast cancer deaths is highest among women aged 65–74.
Median Age At Death
70
U.S. 2018–2022, All Races, Females
Changes Over Time
Keeping track of new cases, deaths, and survival over time (trends) can help scientists understand whether progress is being made and where additional research is needed to address challenges, such as improving screening or finding better treatments.
Using statistical models for analysis, age-adjusted rates for new female breast cancer cases have been rising on average 1.0% each year over 2012–2021. Age-adjusted death rates have been falling on average 1.2% each year over 2013–2022. 5-year relative survival trends are shown below.
New Cases, Deaths and 5-Year Relative Survival
Rate of New Cases
Death Rate
New cases come from SEER 8. Deaths come from U.S. Mortality. All Races, Females. Rates are Age-Adjusted. Modeled trend lines were calculated from the underlying rates using the Joinpoint Trend Analysis Software. The 2020 incidence rate is displayed but not used in the fit of the trend line(s). Impact of COVID on SEER Cancer Incidence 2020 data
5-Year Relative Survival
SEER 8 5-Year Relative Survival Percent from 1975–2016, All Races, Females. Modeled trend lines were calculated from the underlying rates using the Joinpoint Survival Model Software.
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SEER*Explorer is an interactive website that provides easy access to a wide range of SEER cancer statistics. It provides detailed statistics for a cancer site by sex, race, calendar year, age, and for a selected number of cancer sites, by stage and histology.
Figure: The female breast along with lymph nodes and vessels. An inset shows a close-up view of the breast with the following parts labeled: lobules, lobe, ducts, nipple, areola, and fat.
Figure: Breast and Adjacent Lymph Nodes
Figure: The female breast along with lymph nodes and vessels. An inset shows a close-up view of the breast with the following parts labeled: lobules, lobe, ducts, nipple, areola, and fat.
Inside a woman's breast are 15 to 20 sections, or lobes. Each lobe is made of many smaller sections called lobules. Fibrous tissue and fat fill the spaces between the lobules and ducts (thin tubes that connect the lobes and nipples). Breast cancer occurs when cells in the breast grow out of control and form a growth or tumor. Tumors may be cancerous (malignant) or not cancerous (benign).
All statistics in this report are based on statistics from SEER and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics. Most can be found within SEER*Explorer.
Suggested Citation
All material in this report is in the public domain and may be reproduced or copied without permission; citation as to source, however, is appreciated.
These stat facts focus on population statistics that are based on the U.S. population. Because these statistics are based on large groups of people, they cannot be used to predict exactly what will happen to an individual patient. To see tailored statistics, browse SEER*Explorer. To see statistics for a specific state, go to the State Cancer Profiles.
The statistics presented in these stat facts are based on the most recent data available, most of which can be found in SEER*Explorer. In some cases, different year spans may be used.
Estimates of new cases and deaths for 2024 are projections made by the American Cancer Society (ACS), based on earlier reported data.
Cancer is a complex topic. There is a wide range of information available. These stat facts do not address causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, follow-up care, or decision making, although links are provided to information in many of these areas.
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Localized (63%)
Regional (28%)
Distant (6%)
Unknown (3%)
