Breast Cancer information

In 2002 there were 42,023 new cases of breast cancer diagnosed in the UK: around 41,720 (99%) in women and 300 (1%) in men.

The lifetime risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer in women is 1 in 9

Breast cancer risk is strongly related to age,with more than 80% of cases occurring in women over 50 years old.

Although very few cases occur in women in their teens or early 20s, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women under 35. By age 35-39 over 1,400 women are diagnosed each year. The rates continue to increase with age, with the greatest rate of increase prior to the menopause; this supports a link with hormonal status.

For more information on breast cancer visit Cancer Research UK's patient information site:
CancerHelp