CANCER
FACT SHEETS: BREAST CANCER
Estimated age-standardised rates (World) in the world (per 100 000) At a glance
Breast cancer is the second most common cancer overall, and by far the
Males Females Incidence
Mortality most common cancer in women. In 2012, worldwide, there are estimated to
WHO South-East Asia Region have been 1.67 million new cases (25% of all incident cancer cases). It is
the most common cancer in women in both more and less developed
More developed regions
regions, with slightly more 2012 cases estimated to have occurred in less
WHO African Region developed regions (883 000 cases) than in more developed regions (794
000 cases). Incidence rates vary by a factor of nearly 4 across the world
WHO Region of the Americas regions, with 2012 rates (per 100 000) ranging from 27 cases in central
WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region Africa and in eastern Asia to 96 cases in western Europe.
WHO European Region Breast cancer is the fifth most common cause of death from cancer overall,
with 522 000 breast cancer deaths estimated to have occurred in 2012.
Less developed regions
Although it is still the most common cause of cancer death in women in less
WHO Western Pacific Region developed regions (with 324 000 deaths in 2012; 14.3% of all cancer
deaths in women in less developed regions), it is now the second most
IARC Member State (24 countries)
common cause of cancer death (after lung cancer) in women in more
United States of America developed regions (with 198 000 deaths in 2012; 15.4% of all cancer
deaths in women in more developed regions). The variation in mortality
China
rates across world regions is less than the variation in incidence rates, due
India to better survival in the (high-incidence) developed regions, with 2012
mortality rates (per 100 000 women) ranging from 6 deaths in eastern Asia
European Union (EU-28) to 20 deaths in western Africa.
100 50 0 50 100
Estimated incidence, mortality and prevalence (5 years) worlwide in 2012
Estimated numbers Cases Deaths 5-year-prev
World 1 671 149 521 907 17 159 060
More developed regions 788 200 197 618 8 273 689
Less developed regions 882 949 324 289 8 885 371
WHO African Region 99 760 49 061 895 005
WHO Region of the Americas 408 281 92 058 4 114 742
WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region 99 284 42 228 732 587
WHO European Region 494 076 142 979 4 909 685
WHO South-East Asia Region 239 612 109 631 2 040 925
WHO Western Pacific Region 329 762 85 837 4 463 736
IARC Member State (24 countries) 934 832 256 832 9 401 981
United States of America 232 714 43 909 2 373 019
China 187 213 47 984 2 549 427
India 144 937 70 218 1 125 960
European Union (EU-28) 361 608 91 585 3 463 915
Estimated age-standardized rates (World) of incidence cases, females, breast cancer, worldwide in 2012
≥ 111.9
46.2–65.4
34.0–46.2
24.2–34.0
< 4.6
No data
Not applicable
All rights reserved. The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the Data source: GLOBOCAN 2012
part of the World Health Organization / International Agency for Research on Cancer concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its Graph production: IARC
authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Dotted and dashed lines on maps represent approximate borderlines for which there may not (http://gco.iarc.fr/today)
© International Agency for Research
yet be full agreement. World Health Organization
on Cancer 2016
Estimated age-standardized rates (World) of incidence cases, females, breast cancer, worldwide in 2012
* Regional data * Regional data * Regional data
NORDCAN (www.ancr.nu) CI5.iarc.fr CI5.iarc.fr
ECO (eco.iarc.fr) Australia : www.aih.gov.au
England: www.ons.gov.uk New Zealand : wwww.health.govt.nz
USA: seer.cancer.gov
Estimated age-standardized rates (World) of deaths, females, breast cancer, worldwide in 2012
≥ 28.4
15.2–18.2
13.1–15.2
10.1–13.1
< 1.8
No data
Not applicable
All rights reserved. The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the Data source: GLOBOCAN 2012
part of the World Health Organization / International Agency for Research on Cancer concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its Graph production: IARC
authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Dotted and dashed lines on maps represent approximate borderlines for which there may not (http://gco.iarc.fr/today)
© International Agency for Research
yet be full agreement. World Health Organization
on Cancer 2016
Estimated age-standardized rates (World) of deaths, females, breast cancer, worldwide in 2012
WHO (www.who.int/healthinfo/en/) WHO (www.who.int/healthinfo/en/) WHO (www.who.int/healthinfo/en/)
