2010 Canadian Breast Cancer Statistics Announced
Breast Cancer Highlights:
Breast cancer diagnosis and treatment has come a long way since the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation was founded in 1986. However, there is still work to be done. Statistics recently released report breast cancer continues to be the most frequently diagnosed cancer among Canadian women and rates second for mortality.
Estimated Number of New Cases:
- On average, 445 Canadian women will be diagnosed with breast cancer every week, an increase of 9 women per week from 2009.
- Estimated number of new cases of breast cancer in females by age:
- 6,600 breast cancer cases diagnosed in women 70+
- 5, 800 breast cancer cases diagnosed in women 60-69
- 6,200 breast cancer cases diagnosed in women 50-59
- 3, 500 breast cancer cases diagnosed in women 40-49
- 950 breast cancer cases diagnosed in women under the age of 40
- Approximately 19% of breast cancer will be diagnosed in women under age 50, 28% will be diagnosed in women over age 70.
o Over 50% of breast cancers will be diagnosed in women between ages 50 and 69. - In 2010, an estimated 180 men in Canada will be diagnosed with breast cancer. The number of new breast cancer cases in men remains unchanged since 2009. Men with breast cancer make up a little less than 1% of all cases.
Estimated Number of Deaths:
- In 2010, an estimated 5,300 women in Canada will die from breast cancer, unchanged from 2009.
- On average, 100 Canadian women will die of breast cancer every week, unchanged from 2009.
- Estimated number of deaths in females by age:
- 2,850 breast cancer deaths in women 70+
- 1,050 breast cancer deaths in women 60-69
- 920 breast cancer deaths in women 50-59
- 400 breast cancer deaths in women 40-49
- 105 breast cancer deaths in women under the age of 40
- Approximately 10% of breast cancer deaths will be women under age 50, 54% will be women over age 70.
- About 36% of breast cancer deaths will be women between ages 50 and 69.
- In 2010, an estimated 50 men will die from breast cancer, unchanged from 2009.
Trends
- One in nine (11%) Canadian women are expected to develop breast cancer during her lifetime (this means by age 90).
- One in 28 Canadian women is expected to die from breast cancer.
- Female breast cancer incidence rate increased slightly from 101.4 per 100,000 in 2009 to 101.7 per 100,000 in 2010. The rate appears to be fairly consistent across Canada.
- Note: In 1986, the incidence rate was 88.6 per 100,000 – increase due to the advent of population based screening and an aging population.
- There is more cause to be optimistic. Since 1999, the incidence of breast cancer in Canada has stabilized.
- Female breast cancer mortality rate decreased from 21.8 per 100,000 in 2009 to 21.4 per 100,000 in 2010.
- Note: In 1986, the breast cancer mortality rate was 32 per 100,000. This rate has fallen by more than 30% and is currently the lowest it has been since 1950. The significant improvement since the mid-1980s is likely a result of improvements in screening and advances in treatment.
- At present, the five-year relative survival rate for female breast cancer in Canada is 87% (84% for men) which means women diagnosed with breast cancer have an 87% likelihood of being alive 5 years after their diagnosis.
Source: Canadian Cancer Society /National Cancer Institute of Canada. Canadian Cancer Statistics 2010, Toronto, Canada, 2010
