This risk model is based on population averages. Each woman's breast cancer risk may be higher or lower, depending upon a several factors, including family history, genetics, age of menstruation, and other factors that have not yet been identified.
While breast cancer is less common at a young age, younger women tend to have more aggressive breast cancers than older women, which may explain why survival rates are lower among younger women.
All women are at risk for developing breast cancer. The older a woman is, the greater her chances of developing breast cancer. Approximately 77% of breast cancer cases occur in women over 50 years of age.
According to the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program of the National Cancer Institute:
- White, Hawaiian, and African-American women have the highest incidence of invasive breast cancer in the United States (approximately four times higher than the lowest group).
- Korean, American Indian, and Vietnamese women have the lowest incidence of invasive breast cancer in the United States.
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African-American have the highest death rate from breast cancer and are more likely to be diagnosed with a later of breast cancer than White women.
- In the age groups, 30-54 and 55-69 years, African-American women have the highest death rate from breast cancer, followed by Hawaiian women, and white non-Hispanic women. However, in the 70 year old age group, the death rate from breast cancer for white women is higher than for African –American.
Staging is the process physicians use to assess the size and location of a patient’s cancer. This information helps determine the most optimal form of treatment. Breast cancer stages range from Stage 0 (very early form of cancer) to Stage IV (advanced, metastatic breast cancer).
The five-year survival rate for breast cancer is calculated based on averages. Each patient’s individual tumor characteristics, state of health, genetic background, etc. will impact her survival. In addition, levels of stress, immune function, will to live, and other immeasurable factors also play a significant role in a patient’s survival.
Breast cancer survival also continues to decline after five years. Survival after ten years depends on the stage; early stage breast cancers are associated with high survival rates than late stages cancers.
The key to surviving breast cancer is early detection and treatment. According to the American Cancer Society, when breast cancer is confined to the breast, the five-year survival rate is close to 100%. The early detection of breast cancer helps reduce the need for therapeutic treatment and minimizes pain and suffering, allowing women to continue leading happy, productive lives.
Beginning at the age of 20, every woman should practice monthly and begin a routine program of breast health, including scheduling physician performed clinical breast exams at least every three years. As a woman ages, her risk of breast cancer also increases. About 77% of women with breast cancer are over age 50 at the time of diagnosis. Women between the ages of 20 and 29 account for only 0.3% of breast cancer cases. Beginning at the age of 40, all women should have annual , receive each year, and practice breast self-exams every month.
