Breast Cancer Awareness month is here. We’re well and truly into the autumn months now and as we enter October, Breast Cancer Awareness month is suddenly upon us. Every October the Breast Awareness campaign is targeted at encouraging both women and men to be aware of breast cancer and to regularly get into the routine of checking their breasts and chest area for any unusual lumps or changes.
Breast cancer awareness month is something we feel passionately about at Newquay Physiotherapy and this month we’ll be releasing several different blogs on the subject. We hope that by doing so we’ll also be encouraging some ‘Breast Cancer Awareness’.
Most of us know of someone who has been diagnosed with breast cancer but have you ever thought about how many people are affected across the UK each year?
Here are the latest facts and figures, specific to the UK:
- Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer (2014)
- In 2014, 55,200 people were diagnosed with breast cancer. This is approximately 150 new cases each day
- Breast cancer accounts for 15% of all new cancer cases (2014)
- Breast cancer affects men too. 390 males were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2014
- Nearly half (48%) of breast cancer cases are diagnosed in people aged 65 and over each year (2012-2014)
- In the last 25 years or so, the incidence of breast cancer has risen by a fifth (19%)
- The rate of incidence for breast cancer is predicted to increase by 2% between 2014 and 2035 with an expected 210 cases per 100,000 females in 2035
- 1 in 8 women and 1 in 870 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime
- In Europe, more than 464,000 new cases of breast cancer were diagnosed in 2012. This places the UK incidence rate as sixth highest in Europe
- Worldwide, it is estimated that more than 1.68 million women were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012, with incidence rates varying across the world
Source: Cancer Research UK
The number of both men and women being diagnosed with breast cancer within the UK is high relative to other forms of cancer and the incidence rate is rising. Once a diagnosis of breast cancer has been made, let’s look at both the mortality rates associated with breast cancer and then, more optimistically, the survival rates.
Breast Cancer: Mortality Facts
- In 2014, 11,400 people died from breast cancer. That’s 31 deaths each day
- Across all forms of cancer, breast cancer is the third most common cause of cancer related death (2014)
- Breast cancer accounts for 7% of all cancer deaths (2014)
- In males, there were around 75 breast cancer deaths in 2014
- In females, breast cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death, with around 11,400 deaths in 2014
- Each year, nearly half (47%) of female breast cancer deaths are in females aged over 75 years old (2012-2014)
- Mortality rates for female breast cancer are highest in females aged over 90 (2012-2014)
- Since the early 1970s, female breast cancer mortality rates have reduced overall by around a third (32%)
- Over the last ten years, female breast cancer mortality rates have fallen by less than a fifth (17%)
- Mortality rates for breast cancer are estimated to fall by 26% in the UK between 2014 and 2035, to 31 deaths per 100,000 females by 2035
- In Europe, more than 131,000 women were estimated to have died from breast cancer in 2012. This makes the UK mortality rate for breast cancer the 14th highest in Europe
- Worldwide it is estimated that around 522,000 women died from breast cancer in 2012, with mortality rates varying across the world.
Source: Cancer Research UK
Breast Cancer: Survival Facts:
- Just over two thirds (65%) of women diagnosed with breast cancer in England and Wales will survive for twenty years or more (2010-11)
- Nearly 8 out of 10 (78%) women diagnosed with breast cancer will survive for ten years or more (2010-11)
- Approximately 9 in 10 (87%) women diagnosed with breast cancer will survive for five years or more (2010-11)
- 96% of women diagnosed with breast cancer will survive for one year or more (2010-11)
- Survival rates for breast cancer within England are highest in those diagnosed between the ages of 60-69. This may be relating to more routine screening and more favourable tumour characteristics as compared to younger women (2009-2013)
- Breast cancer survival is steadily improving and has doubled in the last 40 years
- If breast cancer is diagnosed early, nearly all women will survive for five years or more. However, if breast cancer is diagnosed at a later or more advanced stage, only 3 in 20 women will survive for five years or more
Source: Cancer Research UK
From the latest facts and figures, it’s evident that breast cancer affects a considerable number of people but the positive news is that treatment and survival rates are both improving. Breast cancer awareness month only falls in October and helps to raise awareness of breast cancer. Aim to be breast cancer aware and use breast cancer awareness month to help improve your understanding of the condition.