Who Develops Breast Cancer?

• Excluding cancer of the skin, breast cancer is the most common cancer among women, accounting for nearly 1 in 3 cancers diagnosed in US women.
• Men are generally at low risk for developing breast cancer, but they should be aware of risk factors, especially family history, and report any change in their breasts to a physician.
• During 1998-2002, the median age at the time of breast cancer diagnosis was 61 years. This means that 50 % of women who developed cancer were 61 or younger and 50% were older than age 61 when diagnosed.
• White women have a higher incidence of breast cancer than African American women after age 35. However, African American women have a slightly higher incidence rate before age 35 and are more likely to die from breast cancer at every age.

What is Breast Cancer?

Breast cancer is cancer arising in breast tissue. Cancer is simply a group of abnormal cells that have abnormal growth patterns.
Although breast cancer is primarily a disease of women, about 1% of breast cancers occur in men.

In 2005, the American Cancer Society estimated that 212,930 new cases of breast cancer would be diagnosed in the United States.

When the cancer is at it's worst state, a doctor may have no choice but to perform a mastectomy, removal of the breast(s).