Facts on the Fight Against Breast Cancer

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October marks National Breast Cancer Awareness Month — the time of year when breast cancer survivors, their loved ones, and the medical community alike work to educate the public on this deadly disease.

Besides skin cancer, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among American women.

Learn more about the breakthrough treatments for breast cancer at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center. 

Must-Know Facts About Breast Cancer

According to BreastCancer.org:

  • One in eight U.S. women will develop a form of invasive breast cancer during their lifetime
  • An estimated 266,120 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in U.S. women in 2018. About 2,550 new cases in U.S. men are also expected this year.
  • Death rates for breast cancer have steadily decreased since the late `80s. Still, about 40,920 women in the U.S. are estimated to have died from the disease in 2018.
  • There are more than 3.1 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S. (including women who have completed treatment and those who are still being treated.

What can you do to fight breast cancer? Learn more about breast cancer detection methods, risk factors, and making your mammogram appointment.