CANCER FACT SHEETS: BREAST CANCER Estimated age-standardised rates (World) in the world (per 100 000) At a glance WHO South-East Asia Region More developed regions WHO African Region WHO Region of the Americas WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region Males Females Incidence Mortality Breast cancer is the second most common cancer overall, and by far the most common cancer in women. In 2012, worldwide, there are estimated to have been 1.67 million new cases (25% of all incident cancer cases). It is the most common cancer in women in both more and less developed regions, with slightly more 2012 cases estimated to have occurred in less developed regions (883 000 cases) than in more developed regions (794 000 cases). Incidence rates vary by a factor of nearly 4 across the world regions, with 2012 rates (per 100 000) ranging from 27 cases in central Africa and in eastern Asia to 96 cases in western Europe. WHO European Region Less developed regions WHO Western Pacific Region IARC Member State (24 countries) United States of America China India European Union (EU-28) 100 50 0 50 100 Breast cancer is the fifth most common cause of death from cancer overall, with 522 000 breast cancer deaths estimated to have occurred in 2012. Although it is still the most common cause of cancer death in women in less developed regions (with 324 000 deaths in 2012; 14.3% of all cancer deaths in women in less developed regions), it is now the second most common cause of cancer death (after lung cancer) in women in more developed regions (with 198 000 deaths in 2012; 15.4% of all cancer deaths in women in more developed regions). The variation in mortality rates across world regions is less than the variation in incidence rates, due to better survival in the (high-incidence) developed regions, with 2012 mortality rates (per 100 000 women) ranging from 6 deaths in eastern Asia to 20 deaths in western Africa.
Estimated incidence, mortality and prevalence (5 years) worlwide in 2012 Estimated numbers Cases Deaths 5-year-prev World 1 671 149 521 907 17 159 060 More developed regions 788 200 197 618 8 273 689 Less developed regions 882 949 324 289 8 885 371 WHO African Region 99 760 49 061 895 005 WHO Region of the Americas 408 281 92 058 4 114 742 WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region 99 284 42 228 732 587 WHO European Region 494 076 142 979 4 909 685 WHO South-East Asia Region 239 612 109 631 2 040 925 WHO Western Pacific Region 329 762 85 837 4 463 736 IARC Member State (24 countries) 934 832 256 832 9 401 981 United States of America 232 714 43 909 2 373 019 China 187 213 47 984 2 549 427 India 144 937 70 218 1 125 960 European Union (EU-28) 361 608 91 585 3 463 915
Estimated age-standardized rates (World) of incidence cases, females, breast cancer, worldwide in 2012 111.9 46.2 65.4 34.0 46.2 24.2 34.0 < 4.6 No data Not applicable All rights reserved. The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the World Health Organization / International Agency for Research on Cancer concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Dotted and dashed lines on maps represent approximate borderlines for which there may not yet be full agreement. Data source: GLOBOCAN 2012 Graph production: IARC (http://gco.iarc.fr/today) World Health Organization International Agency for Research on Cancer 2016
Estimated age-standardized rates (World) of incidence cases, females, breast cancer, worldwide in 2012 * Regional data NORDCAN (www.ancr.nu) ECO (eco.iarc.fr) England: www.ons.gov.uk * Regional data CI5.iarc.fr * Regional data CI5.iarc.fr Australia : www.aih.gov.au New Zealand : wwww.health.govt.nz USA: seer.cancer.gov
Estimated age-standardized rates (World) of deaths, females, breast cancer, worldwide in 2012 28.4 15.2 18.2 13.1 15.2 10.1 13.1 < 1.8 No data Not applicable All rights reserved. The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the World Health Organization / International Agency for Research on Cancer concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Dotted and dashed lines on maps represent approximate borderlines for which there may not yet be full agreement. Data source: GLOBOCAN 2012 Graph production: IARC (http://gco.iarc.fr/today) World Health Organization International Agency for Research on Cancer 2016
Estimated age-standardized rates (World) of deaths, females, breast cancer, worldwide in 2012 WHO (www.who.int/healthinfo/en/) WHO (www.who.int/healthinfo/en/) WHO (www.who.int/healthinfo/en/)