Facts to Know
- Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death of women between the ages of 40 and 59
- Every 13 minutes, a woman will die of breast cancer
- Every 3 minutes, a woman will be diagnosed with breast cancer
- One in 8 women will suffer from the disease in her lifetime. Breast cancer is a devastating disease that has struck nearly 2 million american women in the past decade
- All women are at risk for developing breast cancer and risk increases with advancing age
- Eighty percent of all breast cancers occur in women with no known risk factors
- Men develop breast cancer
- Based on our knowledge of genetics, about 5-10% of women with breast cancer have a hereditary form of the disease
- According to the most recent data, mortality rates continue to decline in caucasian women. However, african-american women are more likely to die from breast cancer because of less access to medical care and to socioeconomic and cultural factors
- If screening guidelines were followed and appropriate treatment was received, breast cancer mortality would decrease by 30%
- There is no known cure for advanced breast cancer