What you need to know

• Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer, in women, and accounts for 1 in 4 annual cancer cases worldwide.
• Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the WHO Europe region with an estimated incidence of 576,300 in 2020.
• Incidence in the EU-27 in 2020 was estimated to be 355,500.
• 1 in 11 women in the EU-27 will develop breast cancer before the age of 74.
• An estimated 21% of breast cancer cases in Europe occur in women when they are younger than 50 years old.
• 35% occur at age 50-64 and the remaining cases in women above the age.
• Breast cancer therefore affects many women during their years dedicated to working and raising a family. 
• It is estimated, that approximately 1 in 8 women, will be diagnosed with breast cancer at some stage in their life.

Mortality and Survival:

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in women worldwide accounting for 1 in 6 cancer deaths. Breast cancer claims the lives of more European women than any other cancer.