Statistics

About breast cancer

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It is estimated that 14,940 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2013 or approximately 40 each day
Over 800 are expected to be less than 40 years old.
One in eight Australian women will be diagnosed with breast cancer before the age of 85.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in Australian women (excluding non-melanoma skin cancer), accounting for 28.2 per cent of all new cancers in women.
The average age of breast cancer diagnosis is 60 years.
In 2008 the age of women being diagnosed were;
- 24% women younger than 50 years;
- 51% women 50–69 years; and
- 25% women aged 70 years and over.
The incidence of breast cancer in Australia is increasing and by 2020, it is estimated that there will be 17,210 new cases of breast cancer diagnosed in women or approximately 47 every day.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women.
In 2008, there were 13,567 new cases of breast cancer in women and 113 new cases in men.

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in Australian women, accounting for 15.5 per cent of all cancer deaths in women
It is estimated that 2,700 women will lose their lives to breast cancer in 2013
In 2007, there were 2,706 deaths from breast cancer (2,680 women and 26 men).

Australian women diagnosed with breast cancer have an 88% chance of surviving 5 years after diagnosis.
In 2006, five-year relative survival for breast cancer was;
- 98.2 % for women with 0–10 mm tumours;
- 94.7 % for women with 11–15 mm tumours;
- 93% for women with 16–19 mm tumours;
- 87.9% for women with 20–29 mm tumours; and
- 73.1% for women with tumours 30 mm or greater.
Improvements in survival are attributed to earlier detection of breast cancer through regular mammograms and improved treatment outcomes for breast cancer.