- NEW CASES: The number of new cases each year of metastatic breast cancer is unknown but consists of those initially diagnosed stage IV and those who had early stage breast cancer and have a metastatic recurrence:
• Approximately 6-10% of new breast cancer cases are initially Stage IV or metastatic. This is sometimes called “de novo” metastatic disease, meaning from the beginning. [NCI SEER data analysis 2000-2005] [ACS Breast Cancer Facts & Figures]
• It is estimated that 20-30% of all breast cancer cases will become metastatic.[O’Shaughnessy, J. “Extending Survival with Chemotherapy in MBC” The Oncologist 2005:10] - LIVING WITH MBC The number of people living with metastatic breast cancer in the US is estimated to be over 155,000, but no statistics are currently collected.
MEDIAN SURVIVAL Median survival after a metastatic breast cancer diagnosis isthree years. Median survival in 1970 was 18 months.- DEATHS IN US: Despite the decrease in cancer mortality rates since 1990, the actual number of Americans losing their battle with the disease has hovered around 40,000 each year since at least the year 2000.
(American Cancer Society statistics 2000 – 2011) Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide. It is also the principal cause of death from cancer among women globally. [World Health Organization] - RACE: Compared to white women, African-American women are diagnosed at a higher rate under age 40 and are more likely to die from breast cancer at every age.[ACS, 2011-2012 Breast Cancer Facts ]
- YOUNG WOMEN: Breast cancer is the number one cause of cancer death in young women under age 50. Although breast cancer is often described as a “disease of aging”, 16% of the breast cancer deaths in 2012 were in this age group. [ACS, 2011-2012 Breast Cancer Facts ]
- MEN: Men do get breast cancer and represent approximately 1% of the new cases and deaths from breast cancer in the US. [ACS, 2011-2012 Breast Cancer Facts ]
- METASTATIC RESEARCH FUNDING: Estimated to be around 5% in Europe and less than that in US for metastatic research for ALL cancers. [Steeg, Patricia and Sleeman, Jonathan. “Cancer metastasis as a therapeutic target” European Journal of Cancer 46 (2010) 1177-1180.
