Breast cancer
Breast cancer is now the most common cancer in the UK. Over 100 women are diagnosed with the cancer every day. Men also get breast cancer but it is rare. Of the 46,000 cases diagnosed each year in the UK, around 300 are in men. Thanks to a combination of screening and improved treatment, death rates from breast cancer have fallen by a third since the 1980s.
Breast cancer risk increases with age, and around four out of five women diagnosed with the disease are over 50 years old. Having a strong family history of breast cancer or a previous diagnosis of the disease increases the risk. Other well-established risk factors include having no or few children, having children later in life and not breast feeding. Obesity after the menopause, regularly drinking alcohol and taking HRT also increase the risk of breast cancer.
Cancer Research UK is one of the largest funders of breast cancer research in the UK, investigating all aspects of the disease, from prevention to treatment. Our scientists have led the world in finding many of the genetic variations that influence breast cancer risk.
Browse content about Breast cancer
- Breast cancer - UK incidence statistics
- Breast cancer - UK mortality statistics
- Breast cancer - molecular biology and genetics
- Breast cancer - risk factors
- Breast cancer - survival statistics
- Breast cancer - symptoms and treatment
- Breast cancer in young women
- Breast cancer research
- Breast cancer statistics - Key Facts
- Breast screening - definition of terms
- Breast screening - performance of mammography
- Breast screening - potential effects
- Breast screening and HRT
- Breast screening in the UK - a brief history
- Breast screening statistics
- Briefing - cancer screening
- Causes of cancer - Inherited gene faults
- Commonly diagnosed cancers worldwide
- Dr Jason Carroll
- Dr Joan Austoker
- Dr John Stingl
- Dr Lisa Caldon
- Dr Paul Pharoah
- Dr Ros Eeles
- Dr Simak Ali
- Issues around breast screening
- March 2010 podcast transcript
- October 2007 podcast transcript
- October 2009 podcast transcript
- Our progress and achievements from 1902 to 1959
- Our progress and achievements in the 1960s
- Our progress and achievements in the 1980s
- Our progress and achievements in the 1990s
- Our progress and achievements in the 2000s
- Prof Alan Ashworth
- Prof Bruce Ponder
- Prof Carlos Caldas
- Prof Charles Coombes
- Prof David Phillips
- Prof Doug Easton
- Prof Glyn Elwyn
- Prof Helen Hurst
- Prof Jack Cuzick
- Prof Judith Bliss
- Prof Julian Peto
- Prof Nazneen Rahman
- Prof Paul Harkin
- Prof Peter Selby
- Prof Robert Leonard
- Prof Stephen Duffy
- Prof Valerie Beral
- September 2007 podcast transcript
- Spot breast cancer early
- Tamoxifen as a preventative therapy
Most recent news and press releases about Breast cancer
- News story: Radiotherapy delays linked to small increased risk of breast cancer recurrence
3 March 2010 - Press Release: Gene test hope for personalised breast cancer treatment
1 March 2010 - Press Release: Cancer Research UK launches groundbreaking research centre at Barts
23 February 2010 - Press Release: Lower overall dosage of radiotherapy in fewer larger doses as safe for breast cancer patients
8 February 2010 - Press Release: Pre-op mammogram reduces the need for mastectomy in women with DCIS
19 January 2010 - News story: US lab research suggests pomegranate chemicals may block breast cancer cell growth
6 January 2010 - News story: Nearly 2m women attended breast screening in 2007/08
21 December 2009 - News story: Study finds isolation and stress may increase breast cancer risk in rats
8 December 2009 - Press Release: Cancer Research UK shocked by survival study
1 December 2009 - News story: Early trials begin for new breast-growing technique
16 November 2009
- Press Release: Osteoporosis drugs may help prevent breast cancer
3 March 2010 - Press Release: Scientists unlock key to tamoxifen resistance
23 February 2010 - News story: Faults in key cancer gene could explain link between deprivation and breast cancer survival
18 February 2010 - Press Release: Dundee leads Scotland in launching new cancer research centre
4 February 2010 - Press Release: ‘Chattering’ receptors drive breast cancer
14 January 2010 - Press Release: 'Junk DNA' could spotlight breast and bowel cancer
5 January 2010 - Press Release: Limpet-like proteins provide secret to DNA repair
16 December 2009 - News story: Delays in cancer diagnosis 'claim thousands of lives each year'
2 December 2009 - News story: Scientists identify enzyme involved in breast tumour formation
23 November 2009 - News story: Breast density linked to cancer recurrence
12 November 2009
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