Cancer Research UK : UK Breast Cancer incidence statistics

UK Breast Cancer incidence statistics

This page concentrates on female breast cancer incidence statistics by age, geographic variation, trends over time and prevalence. The ICD code for breast cancer is ICD9 174 (female), 175 (male) and ICD10 C50.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK despite the fact that it is rare in men. In 2006 there were 45,822 new cases of breast cancer diagnosed in the UK: 45,508 (over 99%) in women and 314 (less than 1%) in men.

Table 1.1 1-4 shows the numbers and rates of new cases of breast cancer in the UK and its constituent countries. It has been estimated that the lifetime risk of developing breast cancer is 1 in 1,014 for men and 1 in 9 for women in the UK. These were calculated on February 2009 using incidence and mortality data for 2001-2005. 5

A table showing the number of new cases and the age standardised (European) rates of breast cancer in the UK

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Breast cancer incidence statistics by age

Breast cancer risk is strongly related to age,with 81% of cases occurring in women aged 50 years and over. The highest number of cases of breast cancer diagnosed is in the 50-69 age group (Figure 1.1 1-4): these women are targeted in the national screening programme. From 2004, routine screening was extended to include women up to the age of 70. From 2009 onwards, the NHS Breast Screening Programme will extend the age range of women eligible for breast screening to ages 47 to 73 over time. The extension is due to be complete by 2012. For more information on breast cancer screening go to the screening section.

Chart showing the number of new cases and incidence rates by age of breast cancer in the UK

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Although very few cases of breast cancer occur in women in their teens or early 20s, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women under 35. By age 35-39 over 1,400 women are diagnosed each year. Breast cancer incidence rates continue to increase with age, with the greatest rate of increase prior to the menopause; this supports a link with hormonal status.

Geographic variation of breast cancer incidence

Worldwide, more than a million women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year, accounting for a tenth of all new cancers and 23% of all female cancer cases.6 Breast cancer incidence rates vary considerably, with the highest rates in the developed world and the lowest rates in Africa and Asia (Figure 1.2).6

Chart showing the age-standardised incidence rates (World) for female breast cancer, 2002 estimates

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Around 430,000 new cases of breast cancer occur each year in Europe and an estimated of 212,920 in the USA. The lowest European rates are in Romania and Latvia and the highest are in northern and western Europe.(Figure 1.3).7,18

However, the historically low rates of breast cancer in eastern Europe and the Far East have begun to rise rapidly.13,14,15

Chart showing the age-standardised (European) incidence and mortality rates for female breast cancer in European Union countries, 2006 estimates

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Migrants from low to high risk countries acquire the risk of the host country within two generations.8,9

For example, Japanese migrants to the USA acquire an increased breast cancer risk compared with the population in Japan and there is evidence that the earlier in life a woman takes up residence in a ‘high risk’ country, the higher her risk of breast cancer compared to that in her country of origin.8, 10

Trends in breast cancer incidence

The incidence of breast cancer has been increasing for many years in economically developed countries. In Britain the age-standardised incidence of breast cancer per 100,000 women increased from 75 in 1977 to 122 in 2006. Over the twenty five year period 1982-2006 the incidence rate increased by 51% (Figure 1.4 1-3).

A chart showing age standardised (European) incidence and mortality rates for female breast cancer in Great Britain

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Figure 1.5 shows the breast cancer incidence trend for the UK.The female age-standardised rate has increased by 6% in the last ten years. The male age-standardised rate has remained stable over the same period.

A chart showing UK, age standardised (European) breast cancer incidence rates by sex

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Introduction of the national screening programme in the UK in 1988 led to a transient additional increase in breast cancer incidence in women aged 50-64 as early undiagnosed cancers were detected. This lasted for the first 4-7 years of the programme (see screening section). The underlying increase in incidence predates screening, continues today, and is evident particularly in the older age groups (Figure 1.6 1-3). 16

A chart showing age specific incidence rates for female breast cancer in Great Britain

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Prevalence of breast cancer

As the incidence of breast cancer is high, and five-year survival rates are 80%, many women are alive who have been diagnosed with breast cancer. An estimated 550,000 women are alive in the UK having received a diagnosis of breast cancer.17General information about cancer prevalence in the UK can be found in the Prevalence section of the CancerStats website.

Breast cancer histology

Virtually all invasive breast cancers are adenocarcinomas (derived from glandular tissue), either ductal (85%) or lobular (15%.)

Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), a non-invasive cancer, is now detected more frequently because of the widespread use of mammography. This picks up telltale dots of chalk (microcalcifications), which can be a sign of DCIS.

References for breast cancer incidence

Office for National Statistics, Cancer Statistics registrations: Registrations of cancer diagnosed in 2006, England. Series MB1 no.37. 2009, National Statistics: London.
ISD Online. Information and Statistics Division, NHS Scotland, 2009.
Welsh Cancer Intelligence and Surveillance Unit. Cancer Incidence in Wales. 2009
Northern Ireland Cancer Registry 2009. Cancer Incidence and Mortality
Statistical Information Team, Cancer Research UK, 2009
Ferlay J, Bray F, Pisani P, et al. Globocan 2002: Cancer Incidence, Mortality and Prevalence Worldwide,Version 2.0: IARC CancerBase no.5, Lyon, IARCPress, 2004.
J. Ferlay, P. Autier, M. Boniol, M. Heanue, M. Colombet, P. Boyle. Estimates of the cancer incidence and mortality in Europe in 2006 Ann Oncol. 2007 Mar;18(3):581-92.
Ziegler, R.G., et al., Migration patterns and breast cancer risk in Asian-American women. J Natl Cancer Inst, 1993. 85(22): p. 1819-27.
Tominaga, S., Cancer incidence in Japanese in Japan, Hawaii, and western United States. Natl Cancer Inst Monogr, 1985. 69: p. 83-92
Shimizu, H., et al., Cancers of the prostate and breast among Japanese and white immigrants in Los Angeles County. Br J Cancer, 1991. 63(6): p. 963-6.
Swerdlow AJ, dos Santos Silva I. Atlas of Cancer Incidence in England and Wales 1968-1985.Oxford: OUP, 1993.
Babb P, Brock A, Jones J, et al. Geographic patterns in cancer incidence. In: Fitzpatrick J, ed. Geographic Variations in Health: National Statistics, 2001:222-244
Pompe-Kirn, V., B. Japelj, and M. Primic-Zakelj, Future trends in breast, cervical, lung, mouth and pharyngeal cancer incidence in Slovenia. Cancer Causes Control, 2000. 11(4): p. 309-18
Leung, G.M., et al., Trends in breast cancer incidence in Hong Kong between 1973 and 1999: an age-period-cohort analysis. Br J Cancer, 2002. 87(9): p. 982-8
Nagata, C., N. Kawakami, and H. Shimizu, Trends in the incidence rate and risk factors for breast cancer in Japan. Breast Cancer Res Treat, 1997. 44(1): p. 75-82
Coleman, M., Trends in breast cancer incidence, survival, and mortality. Lancet, 2000. 356(9229): p. 590
Maddams J, Moller H and Devane C., Cancer prevalence in the UK, 2008 Thames Cancer Registry and Macmillan Cancer Support, 2008
American Cancer Society. Statistics for 2006 2007