Breast cancer is the number one occurring cancer in women. Every three minutes a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer.
178,700 women and 1,600 men will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer. Another 36,900 will be diagnosed with in situ breast cancer for a total of 215,600 diagnoses.
Every 12 minutes a person dies from breast cancer.
Breast cancer is the number one cause of death among women 35 to 54 years of age.
In 1961, breast cancer incidence was 1 in 20 women; today it is one in eight.
It is estimated that 2 million women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this decade.
One-half million women will die of breast cancer in this decade, ten times more Americans than were killed in the Vietnam War.
Breast cancer has the highest degree of emotional morbidity of any disease for women.
Breast cancer utilizes more diagnostic x-rays than any disease yearly.
Breast cancer requires more surgical operations than any other disease.
Breast cancer requires more chemotherapy than any other cancer.
Breast cancer requires more radiation therapy than any other cancer.
Breast cancer requires more diagnostic testing (bone, liver scans) than any other cancer.
Breast cancer requires more hormonal therapy than any other disease.
Breast cancer is the most costly cancer in physician and hospital bills.
Breast cancer is the most self-discovered of all cancers.
What about tomorrow? How can we change the future for many women? Today, until we receive new information, early detection is the best hope for American women. Early detection - practicing regular breast self-exams, complying with screening guidelines for clinical exams and mammography on the recommended basis - is the best hope we can currently offer. It is estimated that one-third of the breast cancer deaths in America yearly could be prevented by early detection. Breast cancer detected in its early stage can usually be treated successfully. Our commitment is to education and support of the woman to learn breast self-exam skills and adhere to the screening guidelines until our future in breast cancer changes.
