Breast Cancer Realities in America in 2009

Seer Stats fact sheet estimates that 192,370 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer during 2009 and of those 40,170 women will die of cancer in the same year. The median age for women being diagnosed was 61 years of age, and none were under the age of twenty; 1.9% were aged 20 and 34; 10.5% were diagnosed between 35 and 44. From the ago of forty five the incidence rose sharply 22.5% were between 45 and 54; 23.7% were aged between 55 and 64. After 65 and between 74 the incidence dropped again to 19.6%, 16.2% were aged between 75 and 84; and finally 5.5% 85+ years of age. Just because their were only five and a half percent diagnosed at over 85 merely indicates that there were less women in that age group living.

The incidence was higher in white women as 123.8 per 100,000 women were diagnosed with breast cancer, blacks were diagnosed at 117.7 per 100,000 women, the Polynesians less still as 89.5 per 100,000 women , Hispanics had 88.3 per 100,000 women And native American Indian/Alaska Native had the least number affected. 74.4 per 100,000 women

From 2002-2006, the median age at death in America for cancer of the breast was 68 years of age, though 1.0% between 20 and 34; 6.2% between 35 and 44; 15.1% between 45 and 54; 20.3% between 55 and 64; 19.8% between 65 and 74; 22.8% between 75 and 84; and 14.9% 85+ years of age.

The age-adjusted death rate was 24.5 per 100,000 women per year. These rates are based on patients who died in 2002-2006 in the US.

In terms of trends the highest deaths occurred in the eighties when the mortality rate increased overall by four percent between 1980 and 1987, when the use of HRT in creased dramatically. Trend wise the greatest drop was between 1995 and 1998 when fears between HRT and breast cancer made a large number of women about the wisdom of HRT.

89.1% reached the magical 5-year relative survival rate between 1999-2005, which means that 10.9% did not make the five year breast cancer survival landmark. 90.3% of white women got to the five year breast cancer survival stage and only 77.9% of black women. However that is not necessarily an indication of genetics or ethnicity but could reflect the women who could afford the best treatment.

60% of breast cancer cases are diagnosed while the cancer is still confined to the primary site (localized stage); a third or 33% are diagnosed after the cancer has spread to regional lymph nodes or directly beyond the primary site; 5% are diagnosed after the cancer has already metastasized (distant stage) and for the remaining 2% the information was unknown. The corresponding 5-year relative survival rates were: 98.3% for localized; 83.5% for regional; 23.3% for distant; and 57.7% for unstaged.

If one estimates the 2004 -2006 figures it means that 1 in eight women will be diagnosed as having breast cancer at some point in their lives. On January 1, 2006, there were approximately 2,533,193 women alive who had a history of breast cancer. This figure comprises those that have active and those that were in remission.

In conclusion one in eight get cancer and two thirds of these are in the primary stages. Nearly ninety percent will celebrate the five year boundary. In general these figures are less bleak than they would first appear and there are definite grounds for optimism if you have been diagnosed with breast cancer this year.

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