Breast Cancer Stats
Table of Content
Breast Cancer stats in Australia
Breast cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in Australia and the most common cancer among females
Everyday 58 people in Australia will be diagnosed with breast cancer. That equates to over 21,000 people in Australia being diagnosed with breast cancer each year.
1 in 7 women and 1 in 550 men are diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime.
Around 1,000 young women aged under 40 are diagnosed with breast cancer each year, equivalent to about 3 young women each day.
Every year over 3,300 people in Australian (including 33 men) will die from breast cancer. That’s 9 Australians a day dying from the disease.
Approximately one woman under the age of 40 is expected to die each week from breast cancer.
In the last 10 years, breast cancer diagnosis have increased by 24%.
Since the National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF) started funding in 1994, the death rate from breast cancer in Australia has reduced by over 40% thanks in large part to research in prevention, early detection and new and improved breast cancer treatments.
We’ve come a long way. But there’s still progress to be made.
That’s why we’re committed to funding a broad spectrum of research to help understand how to prevent and detect breast cancer early, how to stop the progression and recurrence of breast cancer and how to effectively treat hard-to-treat and metastatic breast cancers – research that ultimately save lives.
Our vision – Zero Deaths from breast cancer.
Donate today and help us change the stats
Tarryn found a lump in her breast in 2020 when she was just 33 years old. The mum-of-two had an MRI which showed she had Invasive Ductal Carincinoma (IDC) grade 2 and ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), as well as an enlarged node. What followed was fast and intense treatment plan involving a mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiation. She finished radiation in May 2021 and rang the bell loudly and proudly – relieved to have done everything she could be beat her cancer.
Risk of breast cancer across different ages
The risk of a woman being diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime is 1 in 7. The risk of a man being diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime is 1 in 550.
The majority of breast cancer cases, about 80%, occur in women over the age of 50. But breast cancer still occurs in young women, with close to 1,000 women under the age of 40 projected to be diagnosed with the disease.
Breast cancer survival rates, by stage and age
The relative five-year survival rate for breast cancer is 92%. This means that those who have breast cancer are, on average, 92% as likely as those who don’t have the disease to live for at least five years after their diagnosis. The survival rate is an estimate across the population, and an individual’s chance of survival is dependent on their specific characteristics and the nature of the tumour, such as the stage of the breast cancer at diagnosis, the age, gender and the subtype of the breast cancer (ER+, HER2+ or triple negative breast cancer).
The five-year survival rate for Stage 1 (early) breast cancer is, on average, 100% and Stage 2 is 95%. For locally advanced cancers (known as Stage 3) the survival rate is 81%, while the five-year survival rate for Stage 4 (metastatic breast cancer) is significantly lower at 32%.
The five-year survival rate also differs depending on the age group. For those aged over 80, the five-year survival rate is 81%, while for those between 40 and 44 years of age it is 94%.
While the five-year relative survival rate post-diagnosis is 92%, the relative survival rate 10 years after diagnosis of breast cancer is 87%.
Source: AIHW Australian Cancer Database
“I am three years on from this photo. Everyday is another day I appreciate. Thank you to NBCF-funded researchers who are looking at ways to prevent, detect, monitor and treat breast cancer to ultimately continue to save lives. The five-year survival rate has increased from 76% to 92% – and I am one the survival statistics here today – thanks largely to research. However, my everyday full of medications, infusions and injections is a continual reminder that still, 9 Australians still die from breast cancer each day! Investing in research is the only way we can change the stats. And as we change this stat I would like to say thank you to keeping me going, keeping me hopeful….and keeping me alive.” Vivienne, diagnosed 2018
Breast cancer diagnosis and survival rates over the last 30 years
The incidence (the number of new cases) of breast cancer has risen dramatically over the past 30 years, -rising from about 9,832 new cases a year in 1994, to over 21,000 new cases a year in 2024. As a result, 1 in 7 women will now be diagnosed in their lifetime.
Since NBCF’s inception in 1994, the death rate from breast cancer in Australia has reduced by over 40%. Despite this, 9 people in Australian die from breast cancer every day which is the equivalent of over 3,300 deaths from breast cancer each year.
Unfortunately, despite improved survival rates, the number of deaths from breast cancer each year is still rising. This is being driven by the increase in diagnoses.
Breast cancer cases in comparison to other commonly diagnosed cancers
Breast cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in Australia and the most common cancer among females. Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer.
Breast cancer is the fifth most common cause of cancer deaths in Australia and second most common cause of cancer deaths among females in Australia.
People living with breast cancer
There are over quarter of a million people living in Australia who have had a breast cancer diagnosis.
Hear from Sinead on the importance of breast cancer research & treatment
Breast cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in Australia and the most common cancer among females. Approximately 58 Australians will be diagnosed with breast cancer every day. That equates to over 21,000 Australians diagnosed with breast cancer each year including around 200 men.
Most breast cancer cases, about 80%, occur in women over the age of 50.