Breast Cancer Situation in the USA

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), breast cancer is the most common type of cancer among women worldwide. It is also the second leading cause of death in women. In 2004, breast cancer claimed about 519, 000 lives across the globe. 

Dr. Neal Barnard, M.D., is the founder and president of Physician Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) in the USA. Dr Barnard is one of America’s cardinal advocate for health, nutrition and higher standards in research. Regarding the growing plague of cancer, Dr. Barnard stated: There is an urgent need for a new direction in battling cancer. Dr. Barnard’s deep concern for the cancer situation in the USA is echoed by current statistics about breast cancer in the nation. Statistics about the breast cancer situation in the USA are usually provided by well devoted cancer organizations; such as American Cancer Society and National Cancer Institute. The following are breast cancer statistics for the USA:

·        About 1 in 8 U.S. women (just under 12%) will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime.

·        In 2011, an estimated 230,480 new cases of invasive breast cancer were expected to be diagnosed in women in the U.S., along with 57,650 new cases of non-invasive (in situ) breast cancer.

·        About 2,140 new cases of invasive breast cancer were expected to be diagnosed in men in 2011. A man’s lifetime risk of breast cancer is about 1 in 1,000.

·        From 1999 to 2005, breast cancer incidence rates in the U.S. decreased by about 2% per year. The decrease was observed only in women aged 50 and above. One theory is that this decrease was partially due to the reduced use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) by women after the results of a large study called the Women’s Health Initiative were published in 2002. These results suggested a connection between HRT and increased breast cancer risk.

·        About 39,520 women in the U.S. were expected to die in 2011 from breast cancer, though death rates have been decreasing since 1990 — especially in women under 50. These decreases are thought to be the result of treatment advances, earlier detection through screening, and increased awareness.

·        For women in the U.S., breast cancer death rates are higher than those for any other cancer, besides lung cancer.

·        Besides skin cancer, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among American women. Just under 30% of cancers in women are breast cancers.

·        White women are slightly more likely to develop breast cancer than African-American women. However, in women under 45, breast cancer is more common in African-American women than white women. Overall, African-American women are more likely to die of breast cancer. Asian, Hispanic, and Native-American women have a lower risk of developing and dying from breast cancer.

·        In 2011, there were more than 2.6 million breast cancer survivors in the US.

·        A woman’s risk of breast cancer approximately doubles if she has a first-degree relative (mother, sister, daughter) who has been diagnosed with breast cancer. About 15% of women who get breast cancer have a family member diagnosed with it.

·        About 5-10% of breast cancers can be linked to gene mutations (abnormal changes) inherited from one’s mother or father. Mutations of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are the most common. Women with these mutations have up to an 80% risk of developing breast cancer during their lifetime, and they are more likely to be diagnosed at a younger age (before menopause). An increased ovarian cancer risk is also associated with these genetic mutations.

·        In men, about 1 in 10 breast cancers are believed to be due to BRCA2 mutations, and even fewer cases to BRCA1 mutations.

·        About 85% of breast cancers occur in women who have no family history of breast cancer. These occur due to genetic mutations that happen as a result of the aging process and life in general, rather than inherited mutations.

·        The most significant risk factors for breast cancer are gender (being a woman) and age (growing older).

·        As of Jan. 1, 2009, there were about 2,747,459 women alive in the United States with a history of breast cancer. This includes women being treated and women who are disease-free.

How to Avoid Getting Breast Cancer-When Prevention is the Best Cure

Women who adopt proven and effective breast cancer preventive measures are less likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer. In contrast, women who fail to adopt breast cancer preventive measures are at a higher risk of being diagnosed with the disease. There is an excellent e-book about breast cancer prevention titled: How to Avoid Getting Breast Cancer-When Prevention is the Best Cure.

This book presents excellent breast cancer preventive measures, as approved by the most trusted breast cancer research institutions around the world. Considering the enormous complications associated with remedying breast cancer, all experts are unanimous on the truth that when it comes to breast cancer, prevention is the best cure. To view this book, click here.

                          To view or download this book, click here.