Breast Cancer Q & A of the Day: Is it true that one in eight women will get breast cancer?

The one-in-eight statistic doesn't accurately reflect the average woman's breast cancer risk. Age is the most important risk factor for breast cancer. That means the older a woman is, the greater her risk of developing the disease. Statistics from the US National Cancer Institute show that a woman's chance of being diagnosed with breast cancer by age is:

• From age 20 to age 30 . . . 1 in 2,000
• From age 30 to age 39 . . . 1 in 229
• From age 40 to age 49 . . . 1 in 68
• From age 50 to age 59 . . . 1 in 37
• From age 60 to age 69 . . . 1 in 26
• Ever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 in 8

"Ever" is lifetime risk. This means a woman has a one-in-eight chance of getting breast cancer after the age of 70. You can learn more about breast cancer statistics here.

This post is courtesy of the Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation, dedicated to eradicating breast cancer and improving the quality of women's health through innovative research, education and advocacy.To support this important cause and donate, visit www.dslrf.org.

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