Prevalence and Risk Factors for Breast Cancer
In the United States, breast cancer continues to rank as the most common cancer in women, irrespective of race or ethnicity. It is predicted that 12% of women in the United States will develop breast cancer over the course of her lifetime. While the death rate of breast cancer continues to remain high, the survival rate has greatly improved over the years thanks to new screening guidelines and treatment . It is estimated that the survival rate has tripled over the past 60 years and are improving faster than any other cancer. Worldwide nearly 1.7 million new cases of breast cancer were diagnosed in 2012. This represented 25% of all new cancer diagnoses in women and 12% of all new cancer cases in both sexes. Belgium had the highest rate of breast cancer at 111.9 new cases per 100,000 people. The United States ranked 9th in rate of breast cancer diagnosis, with 92.9 new cases per 100,000 people. Generally, the developed world experiences a much higher rate of breast cancer, with lower rates found throughout Asia and Africa. Breast cancer is the number one cause of cancer deaths in Hispanic women and the second most common cause of cancer deaths among white, black, Asian/Pacific Islander, and American Indian/Alaska Native women.