The Global Burden of Breast Cancer in Women

Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer and the leading cause of death from cancer in women. The number of women diagnosed with breast cancer world-wide is projected to increase from an estimated 1.7 million per year in 2012 to 2.2 million new cases per year by 2035. The largest component of this increase relates to demographic change (increasing and ageing populations), changes in breast cancer risk factors linked to westernization, and adoption of unhealthy lifestyles. Although major successes have been observed in improving survival from breast cancer, with a consequent reduction in mortality, these gains have mainly been observed in high-income countries. The international range in population-based survival also remains wide: the most recent 5-year net survival estimates range from <60% in some regions of sub-Saharan Africa to >85% in many high-income countries. These disparities are undoubtedly linked to inadequate access to diagnostic and treatment facilities in low-resource regions, where the number of women being diagnosed each year is still increasing and breast cancer is becoming an urgent problem. Tackling the growing burden of breast cancer will require comprehensive programmes of cancer control, with primary prevention, screening, and treatment tailored to local risk factors and health system capacities. Ongoing global initiatives on breast cancer have developed resource-stratified guidelines to promote early detection and treatment that meet the local cultural and economic situation. Wider adoption and quality assurance of such programmes will be key to reducing the observed global disparities in breast cancer incidence and survival.