Global breast cancer statistics

• In 2022, 11.6% of all cancers diagnosed were female breast cancer, making it the second most common cancer worldwide. ​[1]​ 
• In 2022, there were around 2.3 million women diagnosed with breast cancer and 666,000 deaths globally, making it the leading cause of cancer deaths among women. ​[1]​ 
• In 2022, there were 8.2 million people alive who were diagnosed with breast cancer over the past 5 years. ​[2]​ 
• In 2019, there were around 25,100 men diagnosed with breast cancer and around 12,100 deaths globally. ​[3]​ 

UK & England breast cancer incidence statistics

Incidence of breast cancer in the UK [average per year, based on 2017-2019 data from Cancer Research UK] 

• There are around 56,000 new cases of breast cancer in women every year: that’s over 150 cases every day ​[4]​ 
• In men, there are around 400 new breast cancer cases each year ​[5]​ 
• 96% of breast cancers were in women over 40 ​[6]​ 
• 24% of breast cancers occurred in women over 75 ​[6]​ 
• Each year, there are around 8500 in situ breast carcinoma cases, a non-invasive form of breast cancer which can lead to invasive breast cancer ​[7]​ 

Incidence of breast cancer in England [Based on NHS England cancer registration statistics 2022] 

• Excluding non-melanoma skin cancers, breast cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in England ​[8]​ 
• 85% of breast cancers in women were diagnosed at stage 1 or stage 2 (early-stage breast cancer which hasn’t spread beyond nearby lymph nodes) ​[9]​  

Incidence of breast cancer in the UK over time [data from 2019] 

• Breast cancer in UK women has increased by 24% between 1993 and 2019 ​[10]​ 
• Rates have increased for women in 25-49 (17%), 50-64 (14%), 65-69 (65%), 70-79 (33%) and 80+ (20%) age groups. Rates have remained stable for all other age groups ​[10]​ 
• Breast cancer in UK men has remained stable between 1993 and 2019 in all age groups ​[10]​ 

Incidence of breast cancer in England based on other demographic features 

• Breast cancer incidence is 32% higher in women living in the least deprived areas compared to the most deprived (based on the Index of Multiple Deprivation; IMD) ​[11]​ 
• Breast cancer rates for women are lower in Asian (3.3%) and Black (1.9%) ethnic groups, in addition to people of mixed or multiple ethnicity (0.5%) compared to the White ethnic group (87%) ​[12]​ 

Breast cancer risk and prevention in the UK 

• It’s estimated around 1 in 7 women in the UK will be diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime ​[13]​ 
• Breast Cancer UK has gathered data from global studies and estimates that at least 30% of breast cancer cases in the UK can be prevented by making lifestyle changes ​[14]​ 
• This is equivalent to around 17,000 breast cancer cases each year 
• For more information about breast cancer prevention and how you can reduce your risk, see our Reduce Your Risk pages 

Breast cancer mortality

In the UK [average per year, based on 2017-2019 data, unless stated otherwise] 

• Breast cancer is the 4th most common cause of cancer death and the 2nd most common in women ​[15]​ 
• Around 11,400 women and 85 men die from breast cancer every year. This is equivalent to 32 deaths every day ​[15]​ 
• 48% of deaths from breast cancer are in those aged 75 and over [15]​ 
• In 2022, breast cancer was the most common cause of death for both women between 35-49 and 50-64 years of age in England and Wales ​[16]​ 
• Since the mid-1970s, breast cancer mortality rates have decreased by 41% ​[15]​ 
• Breast cancer mortality rates have been declining and are projected to fall by 13% between 2023 and 2040 ​[15]​ 

Breast cancer survival  

In *England [based on women diagnosed between 2013-2017 and followed up in 2018, unless stated otherwise] 

• 95.8% of women diagnosed with breast cancer survive at least 1 year ​[17]​ 
• 85.0% of women diagnosed with breast cancer survive at least 5 years ​[17]​ 
• 75.9% of women diagnosed with breast cancer in 2018 are predicted to survive for 10 or more years ​[17]​ 

* survival rates don’t vary significantly between the different UK nations.  

Impact of COVID-19 on breast screening services in the UK 

• There was a 44% decrease in the number of women (45 and over) who were screened for breast cancer in 2020-2021 (1.19 million), compared to 2019-2020 (2.12 million) ​[18]​  
• The number of women (45 and over) with breast cancers detected from mammography screening decreased from 17,771 in 2019-2020 to 10,813 in 2020-2021, a decrease of 6957 cases (39.2%) ​[18]​  

Genetics and family history 

• Around 15% of people with breast cancer will have a family history of the disease ​[19]​ 
• Inherited mutations (which includes the BRCA1/BCRA2 genes) may account for up to 12% of all breast cancer cases ​[20]​ 
• In the general population, around 1 in 400 people carry a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation. People of Ashkenazi Jewish descent have a 1 in 40 chance of carrying a BRCA mutation ​[20]​ 

Last Review: July 2025

Next Review: July 2026