Breast Cancer Epidemic

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women and the second leading cause of cancer death.

Breast cancer is three times more common than all gynecologic malignancies put together.

http://nationalbreastcancer.org/early_detection/index.html

The incidence of breast cancer has been increasing steadily from an incidence of 1:20 in 1960 to 1:7 women today.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) estimates that 211,000 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed this year and 43,300 patients will die from the disease.

The ACS states that, "Breast cancer is truly an epidemic among women and we don't know why".

Breast cancer is not exclusively a disease of women. For every 100 women with breast cancer, 1 male will develop the disease.

The American Cancer society estimates that 1,600 men will develop the disease this year.

Fifty percent of breast cancer is diagnosed in women over sixty-five indicating the ongoing necessity of yearly screening throughout a woman's life.