Breast cancer statistics

Statistics help us understand who is at risk for breast cancer, where more resources are needed, and how efforts to improve screening, treatment, and care are working. They give us some idea of what to expect from different diagnoses and they help guide treatment decisions.

On this page, we share statistics to answer some of the most common questions and to present a general picture of what breast cancer in the US looks like today, to the best of our understanding. For the last 30 years, the mortality rate for breast cancer has been declining. But at the same time, the rate of people diagnosed with breast cancer has been rising. There are more than 4 million people estimated to be living with and beyond breast cancer in the US.

As helpful as statistics can be, it’s important to know that these numbers describe the likelihood of certain breast cancer risks and outcomes in large populations. The numbers don’t determine what will happen to you personally. It’s important to talk with your doctor about your individual situation.

Breast cancer incidence in the US

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancer diagnoses for women living in the US. In this section, we’ll share some recent trends: how many people are expected to be diagnosed this year, how likely a woman of average risk is to develop breast cancer in her lifetime, and how these numbers compare to other cancer diagnoses.

While the numbers provide a snapshot of breast cancer in the US, there are many individual risk factors that are not captured in US statistics. These can include family history, inherited gene changes, and previous radiation to the chest.

• Next to skin cancer, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women in the US, making up about 30% of all newly diagnosed cancers in women each year. (ACS, 2023)
• In 2023, an estimated 300,590 cases (297,790 women and 2,800 men) of invasive breast cancer, along with an estimated 55,720 new cases of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), will be diagnosed in the US. (ACS, 2023)
• As of January 2022, there were over 4 million women living with a history of breast cancer in the US. (ACS, 2022)
• The average risk of a woman in the US developing breast cancer in her lifetime is about 1 in 8, or about 13%. (ACS, 2023)
• The median age at the time of a breast cancer diagnosis in the US is 62. (ACS, 2022)
• The rate of people being diagnosed with invasive breast cancer rose 0.4% per year in women older than 50 and 1% per year in women ages 20 to 49 in the years 2010 through 2019. (ACS, 2022)
• From 1989 through 2020, breast cancer deaths in women declined by 43%, although the decline has slowed. (ACS, 2023)

Breast cancer mortality statistics

Breast cancer deaths are a devastating reality. Still, it’s important to know that our most recent statistics about death rates still represent the past, because the effects of advanced treatments available today are only seen years after they are regularly used.

• Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women in the US, behind only lung cancer. (ACS, 2023)
• In 2023, about 43,700 US women will die from breast cancer. (ACS, 2023) About 530 men will die from breast cancer. (ACS, 2023)
• Globally, female breast cancer is the fifth leading cause of death. In 2020, a worldwide estimate of 684,996 women died from breast cancer. (cancer.net, 2023)
• While the rate of breast cancer deaths decreased by 43% between 1989 and 2020, the annual rate of decline has slowed from 1.9% to 1.3%. (ACS, 2022)

For more information about breast cancer survival and mortality rates, visit the Breast cancer life expectancy page. Like the numbers on this page, the numbers you will see on the life expectancy page are general, and do not reflect your personal risk or the ways that new treatments have resulted in decreased mortality.

Breast cancer in young women

Here are the latest US statistics for breast cancer in young women:

• About 9% of all new breast cancer cases are diagnosed in women 45 and under. (CDC, 2023)
• Breast cancers in women under 45 are more likely to be diagnosed at a later stage than older women. (CDC, 2023)
• Young women may not get diagnosed right away. For women at average risk, most organizations including the US Preventive Services Task Force, don’t recommend screening before age 40. (USPSTF, 2023)
• Young women tend to have dense breasts. Mammograms are less likely to find tumors in women with dense breasts. (CDC, 2023)

Breast cancer in men

Here are the current US statistics for breast cancer in men:

• About 1 in 833 US men will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of their lives. (ACS, 2023)
• An estimated 2,800 men will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in the US in 2023. (ACS, 2023)
• Black men have the highest rate of breast cancer incidence and mortality compared to men in other racial and ethnic groups. (CDC, data from 2013-2017)
• Men with inherited BRCA1 and BRCA2 genetic mutations have a higher likelihood of developing breast cancer than men who do not have these mutations. (CDC, 2020)
• Men with a BRCA1 mutation have an increased breast cancer risk of about 1 to 5%, and men with a BRCA2 mutation have an increased risk of 5 to 10%. (Basser Center for BRCA at Penn Medicine, 2023)

Breast cancer risk statistics based on inherited genetics and family history

Most breast cancer diagnoses are not connected to inherited genetic mutations. And if you do have an inherited gene mutation associated with breast cancer, or a strong family history of breast cancer without a known mutation, broad US statistics may not accurately reflect your risk. Talk with your doctor about your individual risk and the best screening plan for you.

• An estimated 5 to 10% of breast cancers are linked to gene mutations inherited from a parent. (ACS, 2021)
• For women who have inherited a BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation, the risk of developing breast cancer by age 80 is 70%. (ACS, 2022)
• Having a first-degree female relative diagnosed with breast cancer — a mother, sister, or daughter — nearly doubles a woman’s risk of breast cancer. (ACS, 2021)

There are treatments available for breast cancer in people who test positive for a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation.

To learn more about living with high risk due to a genetic mutation, strong family history, or other factors, visit At high risk for breast cancer.

Early-stage breast cancer statistics

Early-stage breast cancer is confined to the breast and/or the lymph nodes and has not spread to other parts of the body.

• Two-thirds (66%) of breast cancer diagnoses in the US are early stage. (ACS, 2022)
• About 55,720 new cases of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), which is non-invasive stage 0 cancer, will be diagnosed in 2023. (ACS, 2023)
• Diagnoses in young women are less likely to be early stage than those in older women, with only 47% of cases under age 40 being found at an early stage. (cancer.net, 2023)

Metastatic breast cancer statistics

Metastatic breast cancer is cancer that has spread beyond the breast to other parts of the body. While metastatic breast cancer is not curable, it is treatable, and researchers are continually developing more effective treatments.

• It is estimated that by 2025, over 169,000 people will be living with metastatic breast cancer in the US. (JNCI, 2022)
• In 2023, about 43,700 people will die of metastatic breast cancer in the US. (cancer.net, 2023)
• It’s estimated that 20 to 30% of people diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer later develop metastatic breast cancer. (AMA, 2022)
• The most common locations of breast cancer metastasis are the bone, lung, liver, and brain. (cancer.net, 2023)
• About 6% of breast cancer cases are metastatic at the first diagnosis. This is called de novo metastatic breast cancer. (cancer.net, 2023)
• Breast cancer diagnoses in Black, Hispanic, and American Indian/Alaska Native women are more likely to be metastatic than diagnoses in white and Asian and Pacific Islander women. (ACS, 2022)

To learn more about metastatic breast cancer, treatment options, and support resources, visit our Metastatic breast cancer page.

Breast cancer statistics by race and ethnicity

National statistics are important to understand, but they can also hide important disparities in breast cancer risk and outcomes among different populations within the US. In some cases, there are known factors, including the prevalence of genetic mutations, that cause disparities. But in other cases, the reasons may be unclear, underlining the need for research that is representative of diversity in the US.

Breast cancer and Black women

Black women may face distinct challenges in breast cancer and treatment. Black women have the second highest rate of breast cancer diagnosis in the US, and there are a number of ways in which the patterns of breast cancer in Black women differ from those in white women and other races and ethnicities.

• An estimated 36,260 Black women were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2022. (ACS, 2022)
• Though Black women have a lower incidence of breast cancer than white women, Black women are 40% more likely to die of the disease. (ACS, 2023)
• Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in Black women. (ACS, 2022)
• It is estimated that 6,800 Black women died of breast cancer in 2022. (ACS, 2022)
• Black women are just as likely to have hereditary breast cancer as white women, but they are less likely to participate in genetic counseling. (TOUCH, 2022)
• Black women have a higher chance of being diagnosed with breast cancer before age 40 than women in other racial and ethnic groups. (ACS, 2015-2019)
• Compared with other racial and ethnic groups in the US, Black women are twice as likely to be diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer. (ACS, 2022)

To learn more and find supportive resources, visit Black with breast cancer.

Breast cancer and people of Ashkenazi Jewish descent

Changes in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes that are associated with breast cancer risk occur in nearly 1 out of 40 people of Ashkenazi Jewish descent, according to Sharsheret, a national nonprofit working to serve Jewish people and their families dealing with a breast cancer diagnosis or risk. This is nearly 10 times the likelihood of finding one of these gene changes in the general population, putting Jewish families at an especially high risk for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer. (Sharsheret, 2022)

Breast cancer and Hispanic or Latina women

While breast cancer incidence is lower for Hispanic women than it is for women in other racial and ethnic groups in the US, it’s the leading cause of cancer-related death in these women due to lower rates of lung cancer mortality.

A 2023 study found that Hispanic or Latina women are diagnosed at an average age of more than 7 years younger than white women. While white women are diagnosed at an average age of 64.5 years, Hispanic or Latina women are diagnosed at an average age of 57.2 years. Researchers also found that Hispanic women were least likely of any racial or ethnic group to have received a breast cancer screening before their diagnosis.

Hispanic women are also more likely to be diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer than white or Asian and Pacific Islander women.

Breast cancer and Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander women

Some breast cancer research combines Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander people into one group, and that can make it difficult to accurately track incidence and survival rates for the many diverse groups within this category. Researchers are working to separate these groups to get more precise data.

A 2023 CDC study showed that out of ten common cancer types, female breast cancer was the most common new invasive cancer to be diagnosed in Asian Americans (19.3%) and Native Hawaiians or other Pacific Islanders (18.6%) from 2015-2019.

The CDC study also showed that out of four invasive cancers that can be found with screening (female breast, colon, lung, and cervical) tracked from 2015-2019, breast cancer incidence and stage at diagnosis were as follows:

In Asian American women:

• Early-stage: 65.6%
• Late-stage: 32.3%

In Native Hawaiian women:

• Early-stage: 65.2%
• Late-stage: 32.6%

In other Pacific Islander women:

• Early-stage: 55.7%
• Late-stage: 40.3%

For each of the groups above:

• A diagnosis of early-stage breast cancer was much more common than a diagnosis of early-stage colon, lung, or cervical cancer.
• A diagnosis of late-stage breast cancer was less common than a diagnosis of late-stage colon, lung, or cervical cancer.

Breast cancer and American Indian/Alaska Native women

More research is needed to better understand breast cancer risk and incidence in American Indian and Alaska Native women. Here’s what we know now:

• 1 in 8 American Indian women will get breast cancer in their lifetime. (AICAF, 2022)
• American Indian/Alaska Native women are not as likely to be diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer (57%-60%), as Asian/Pacific islander and white women (65%-68%). (ACS 2022)
• From 2014-2019:

  • US breast cancer diagnosis rates among American Indian/Alaska Native women were about 110.5 in 100,000, compared to 126.9 in 100,000 among all races. (Front Public Health, 2022)
  • Breast cancer death rates in American Indian/Alaska Native women were 17.8 per 100,000, compared to 19.9 per 100,000 among all races. (Front Public Health, 2022)

• From 2016-2020, American Indian/Alaska Native women had the highest breast cancer death rate next to Black women. (ACS, 2022)

Breast cancer statistics for LGBTQ+ people

People in the LGBTQ+ community may face unique challenges in finding information and guidance on their breast cancer risk and in finding sensitive care for screening and treatment. It can also be hard to find statistics for breast cancer in LGBTQ+ people. In this section, we share some of the known and estimated statistics for breast cancer in this community.

• There are an estimated 1 million LGBTQ+ cancer survivors in the US today (National LGBT Cancer Network, 2020)
• LGBTQ+ people in the US are disproportionately affected by at least seven types of cancer, including anal cancer, breast cancer, cervical cancer, colorectal cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer, and uterine cancer (cancer.net, 2021)
• Transgender individuals are significantly less likely to be screened for breast and cervical cancer compared with cisgender individuals (Am J Clin Oncol, 2022)
• Sexual minority women were more likely than non-sexual minority women to get a mammogram due to a problem rather than for routine screening (LGBT Health, 2020)
• A 2023 study found that people in sex and gender minority groups experience more delays in breast cancer diagnosis, are more likely to decline oncologist recommended treatment, and have three times the rate of breast cancer recurrence compared to cisgender heterosexual people. (JAMA Oncology, 2023) Researchers say that a lack of trust in care professionals among LGBTQ people could be a possible reason for declining recommended treatment. (Stanford Medicine Scope, 2023)

Learn more about resources for LGBTQ+ people who have been diagnosed with breast cancer or are concerned about their risk on our page LGBTQ+ with breast cancer.

Statistics on paying for breast cancer treatment

During breast cancer treatment, your focus should be on your health and getting better, but we understand the reality that paying for care is a concern for everyone diagnosed with this disease in the US. Know that you are not alone. Even when insurance is picking up the bulk of the cost, many people still struggle to keep up with the price of deductibles, co-pays, transportation, missed work, and many other surprise expenses during treatment and even after active treatment ends. Here, we’ll share some of the ways people across the country are affected by the cost of cancer care.

• Nationally, out-of-pocket costs for breast cancer care were $3.14 billion, more than the out-of-pocket costs for any other type of cancer in 2019. (CDC, 2021)
• In 2020, the total cost of breast cancer care in the US was $29.8 billion. (NCI, 2023)
• A survey of people who have or had cancer found 51% went into debt due to the cost of care. (ACS, 2022)
• The cost to you as a patient can vary dramatically based on whether you have health coverage and what kind of coverage you have. (ACS, 2020)
• People diagnosed with cancer have been found to be 2.65 times as likely to file for bankruptcy as people without cancer. (Health Affairs, 2013)

If you are struggling to keep up with costs during cancer care, there are places to turn for help. Visit our Financial assistance page for guidance and helpful resources.