1 in 8 Women Will Develop Breast Cancer in Their Lifetime, New Report Says

Mar. 15, 2025

Stock image of a woman getting a mammogram.Photo:Getty

Getty

A new report onbreast cancerfrom theAmerican Cancer Societyoffers some bleak statistics on the prevalence of the disease, saying it’s on the rise — particularly in younger women.

And 1 in 8 women in the United States will be diagnosed with invasivebreast cancerin their lifetime, the report says.

Stock image of a female patient in a hospital.Getty

Cases of breast cancer also rose for Asian American and Pacific Islander women, who historically have had lower incidences of the disease.

And alarmingly, while Black women were found to have a 5% lower rate of breast cancer than White women, they were 38% more likely to die — largely due to late diagnosis and access to treatment.

In April, theU.S. Preventive Services Task Forceannounced new guidelines that women should start getting regular mammograms at age 40 —a decade earlierthan previous recommendations — to screen for breast cancer.

Stock image of a mammogram machine.Valerii Apetroaiei/Getty

Valerii Apetroaiei/Getty

According to the report from the American Cancer Society, an estimated 42,250 women will die from breast cancer this year.

As the report notes, “Most women who develop breast cancer have no known risk factors. Approximately 30% of cases can be attributed to potentially modifiable risk factors, such as excess body weight (postmenopausal breast cancer), physical inactivity, and alcohol consumption.”

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Breast cancer thatis caught early— meaning, before it has spread — has up to a 99% five-year survival rate, theAmerican Cancer Societysays.

“For many women, mammograms are the best way to find breast cancer early, when it is easier to treat. Mammograms can find cancer before it is big enough to feel or cause symptoms,” says theCDC,whose National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP) provides screenings and other services to women who are uninsured or fall below the federal poverty limit.

(Click here to find ascreening provider in your area.)

source: people.com