Facts and Statistics

More than a quarter of a million of women are diagnosed with women’s cancers each year.

Of the approximately 10.1 million cancer survivors living in the United States today, approximately 5.6 million are women.

Women’s cancers represents approximately 60% prevalence among women cancer survivors.

Every three minutes someone in the United States is diagnosed with breast cancer.

Every seven minutes a woman is diagnosed with gynecologic cancer.

Below are some statistics specific to the different types of women’s cancers. These facts and figures are from reports released by the National Cancer Institute and the American Cancer Society.

Breast Cancer

A woman in the United States has a 1 in 8 change of developing invasive breast cancer during her lifetime.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer among American women, except for skin cancers. Approximately 3 million women in the U.S. are living with breast cancer: about 2.3 million have been diagnosed with the disease and an estimated 1 million do not yet know they have the disease.
Incident rates for breast cancer in women stabilized from 2001-2003, ending increases that began in the 1980s.
In 2007, it is estimated that 240,510 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed among women in the United States: 178,480 invasive breasts cancer and 62,030 cases of in situ breast cancer.
Death rates from breast cancer have been declining since 1990, with larger decreases in women younger than 50. These decreases are believed to be the result of earlier detection through screening and increased awareness as well as improved treatment.
Older women are much more likely to get breast cancer than younger women. Most breast cancers occur in women ages 50 and older. However, younger women who get breast cancer have a lower survival rate than older women who get breast cancer.
All women are at risk for breast cancer. About 90-95% of women who develop breast cancer do not have a family history of the disease.
Mammography screening may detect the disease before symptoms occur. It’s use rose steadily in women ages 40 and older until 2000 and has been stable since. The National Cancer Institute’s gold for all women was met by 2000, though disparities remain among racial/ethnic, geographic and low-income groups.

For more information, visit www.stopbreastcancer.org

Cervical Cancer

Incident rates have decreased for cervical cancer (since at least 1975).
In 2007, it is estimated that 11,150 cases of invasive cervical cancer will be diagnosed in the United States. Some researchers estimate that non-invasive cervical cancer is about 4 times more common.
The cervical cancer death rate declined 74% between 1955 and 1992. The main reason for this change is the increase use of Pap test. This screening procedure can find changes in the cervix before cancer develops. In 2003, 79 percent of women ages 18 and older had a Pap test within the last 3 years.
Half of women diagnosed with cervical cancer are between the ages of 25-55. It also occurs most often in Hispanic women; the rate is over twice that in non-Hispanic white women. African-American women develop this cancer about 50% more often than non-Hispanic women.

For more information, visit www.thegcf.org or www.wcn.org.

Endometrial Cancer

Cancer of the endometrium is the most common cancer of the female reproductive organs. In 2007, it is estimated that 39.080 cases of cancer of the body of the uterus will be diagnosed in the United States. Most of these occur in the endometrium, the lining of the uterus.
About 70% of all cases are found in women between the ages of 45 and 74, with the highest number diagnosed in the 55-64 age group.
Endometrial cancer is 40% more common in white women, but black women are nearly twice as likely to die from it.

For more information, visit www.thegcf.org or www.wcn.org.

Ovarian Cancer

In 2007, it is estimated that 22,430 new cases of ovarian cancer will be diagnosed in the United States.
There are approximately 172,000 women in the United States who are living with or have a history of ovarian cancer.
Ovarian cancer primarily develops in older women. Around two-thrids of women are 55 or older. It is slight more common in white women than African-American women.

For more information, visit www.ovariancancer.org.

Vaginal Cancer

Vaginal cancer accounts for about 2-3% of cancers of the female reproductive system. In 2007, it is estimated that 2,140 new cases of vaginal cancer will be diagnosed in the United States.

For more information, visit www.thegcf.org or www.wcn.org.

Vulvar Cancer

Vulvar cancer account for about 4% of cancer in the female reproductive organs. In 2007, it is estimated that 3,490 cancer of the vulva will be diagnosed in the United States.

For more information, visit www.thegcf.org or www.wcn.org.

For more information about all types of cancer and survivorship, visit www.canceradvocacy.org.

Sources

American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts and Figures 2007. Atlanta, GA, 2007.

American Cancer Society. Breast Cancer Facts and Figures 2005-2006. Atlanta, GA, 2005.

From Cancer Patient to Cancer Survivor: Lost In Transition, Institute of Medicine and National Research Council of The National Academies, 2006.

National Cancer Institute. Probability of breast cancer in American women. Updated October 2006.Fact Sheet 5.6.

Ries LAG, Harkins D, Krapcho M, et al. (eds). SEER Cancer Statistics Review, 1975-2003. National Cancer Institute. Bethesda, MD, 2006.

Ries LAG, Eisner MP, Kosary CL, et al. (eds). SEER Fast Stats: Breast Cancer 1994-2003