This section of our website contains articles on breast cancer.  Most of the information is about traditional methods of detection, staging and treatment.  Soon to come are articles on non-traditional modalities that are also utilized at our clinic.  

U.S. Breast Cancer Statistics

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women, affecting approximately one in eight women over their lifetime.  In 1999 approximately 175,000 new cases of invasive breast cancer were diagnosed and 40,000 additional cases of  in situ (contained within the duct) breast cancers.  In 1999 approximately 43,000 women died of breast cancer in the United States. 

As with most cancers, the incidence is much higher in older women than younger.  For example, seventy-seven percent of new cases and eighty-four percent of deaths from breast cancer occurred in women 50 and older.  Women aged 20 to 24 have an incidence of  1.3 per 100,000, while women aged 75 to 79 have and incidence of 483 per 100,000. 

Overall, white women are more likely to develop breast cancer than African-American women, but in women under age 50, African-Americans have a higher incidence.  African-American women are more likely to die of breast cancer for all age groups.  Other races have a lower rate than white and African-American women.

It is interesting to look at breast cancer occurrence over time.  For example, between 1940 and 1982 breast cancer was increasing at 1% per year.  From 1982 to 1988 the growth rate was an alarming 4% per year, and from 1988 until 1996 the rate was level.  Scientists have analyzed these changes from a variety of perspectives.  The increase from 1940 to 1982 is attributed to delayed onset of first pregnancy, and smaller numbers of children, but not all researchers would agree with this.  The huge increase from 1988 to 1996 is most often attributed to better screening techniques such as mammography which led to detection of smaller cancers, but once again, not all researchers would agree on this. 

In situ (non-infiltrating) breast cancer rates have increased considerably over the last quarter century.  From 1973 to 1996 DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ) rates have increased 7 times faster than invasive breast cancers.  Most attribute this to the use of mammography. 

Survivability:  For all breast cancers combined, 85% survive at least 5 years, 71% after 10 years, 57% after 15 years and 52% after 20 years.

Putting things in perspective:  The oft quoted “one in eight women will get breast cancer” statistic is somewhat misleading.  This figure includes women of all ages.  For example about three fourths of all breast cancers occur in women over 50 and only 5% develop in women under 40 ("Breast Cancer Facts and Figures 1997: Who Gets Breast Cancer?" American Cancer Society website).  Also, one in eight refers to diagnosis, not death.  The 5 year survival rate for non-metastatic breast cancer is 97%!  The National Cancer Institute estimates that there are 2 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S. 

Finally, focusing just on breast cancer as an indicator of longevity potential misses the point entirely.  Over 500,000 women will die this year from heart disease, while perhaps 43,000 will die from breast cancer.  In other words there is a 1000% greater chance of dying of heart disease.  Reshuffling the numbers one more time, we can also demonstrate that a 40 year old woman has one chance in twelve hundred of  getting breast cancer in the next year.  Oh, and by the way, breast cancer is no longer the leading cause of cancer death in women; lung cancer is, thanks to the conscienceless female directed advertising of  the tobacco industry.  

Article by Michael Guthrie, R.Ph. 

"Alternative Cancer Treatments"  Michael Guthrie, R.Ph.  CGP 2003-2006
Updated May 7, 2006