We use a standard definition of cancer survival and our resources may be useful for people at any stage of survivorship and those who care for them, from diagnosis to end of life.
An individual is considered a cancer survivor from the time of diagnosis, through the balance of his or her life. Family members, friends, and caregivers are also impacted by the survivorship experience and are therefore included in this definition.
- National Cancer Institute (adapted from the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship)
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, after skin cancer, accounting for about 1 in 3 cancers diagnosed in women. Men have a low risk, but do have breast cancer. With earlier detection and improved treatment, more people are living after a breast cancer diagnosis, including metastatic disease.
Black women are more likely to diagnosed with breast cancer at an earlier age and have a more aggressive form of the disease. White and Asian/Pacific Islander American women are more often diagnosed with localized disease. Latinx and Asian/Pacific Islanders are diverse groups, however, and large difference exist depending on where families are from (ancestry) and how long they have lived in the U.S.
For more data about who gets breast cancer, check out the National Cancer Institute or your state's profile.
