Breast cancer statistics
Breast cancer is the most common cancer among Canadian women (excluding non-melanoma skin cancers). It is the 2nd leading cause of death from cancer in Canadian women. Breast cancer can also occur in men, but it is not common.
To provide the most current cancer statistics, statistical methods are used to estimate the number of new cancer cases and deaths until actual data become available.
Incidence and mortality
Incidence is the number of new cases of cancer. Mortality is the number of deaths due to cancer.
Cancer statistics are currently collected, analyzed and reported based on the sex assigned at birth, with male/men and female/women categories. We need to address gaps in how statistics are collected to better understand cancer in transgender, non-binary and gender-diverse people.
It is estimated that in 2024:
- 30,500 Canadian women will be diagnosed with breast cancer. This represents 25% of all new cancer cases in women in 2024.
- 5,500 Canadian women will die from breast cancer. This represents 13% of all cancer deaths in women in 2024.
- On average, 84 Canadian women will be diagnosed with breast cancer every day.
- On average, 15 Canadian women will die from breast cancer every day.
- 290 Canadian men will be diagnosed with breast cancer and 60 will die from breast cancer.
|
Category |
Women | Men |
|---|---|---|
|
New cases |
30,500 |
290 |
|
Deaths |
5,500 |
60 |
|
5-year net survival (estimates for 2015 to 2017) |
89% |
76% |
Trends in breast cancer
The rate of new cases of breast cancer in women in Canada rose between 1984 and 1992. The rate has fluctuated from year to year since then, but has mostly stayed the same overall.
The increase until the early 1990s occurred partly because
The slight decrease in rate between 2002 and 2003 coincided with a drop in the use of hormone replacement therapy among post-menopausal women when its role in breast cancer was publicized.
The breast cancer death rate peaked in 1986 and has been declining since. This reduction in death rates likely reflects the impact of screening and improvements in treatment for breast cancer.
Chances (probability) of developing or dying from breast cancer
It is estimated that about 1 in 8 Canadian women will develop breast cancer during their lifetime and 1 in 36 will die from it.
For more information about cancer statistics, go to Canadian Cancer Statistics.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Your donation to breast cancer this October will be matched! Help make a difference for the 1 in 8 Canadian women expected to be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. Your donation will fund compassionate support programs to make life better for people facing breast cancer today and fund world-leading research to transform the future of breast cancer forever.