Statistics+and+How+to+Help


 * About **1 in 8 women** in the United States (12%) will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime.

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 * From 1999 to 2006, breast cancer incidence rates in the U.S. decreased by about 2% per year . 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 39,840 women in the U.S. were expected to die in 2010 from breast cancer, though **death rates have been decreasing since 1990.** These decreases are thought to be the result of treatment advances, earlier detection through screening, and increased awareness.


 * In 2010, there were **more than 2.5 million breast cancer survivors** in the U.S.


 * 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 20-30% of women diagnosed with breast cancer have a family history of breast cancer.

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

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