Breast Cancer Death Rates Down 40% Since 1989

A new report from the American Cancer Society found that “death rates from breast cancer in the United States dropped 40% between 1989 and 2017.” Leading author of the report, Carol DeSantis, says they “can’t say for sure what the reasons are for the” decline, but it could be “a sign that optimal breast cancer treatment has become more widespread, particularly among white women”. The decline in death rates “translates to 375,900 deaths avoided during” this time period, and “has been largely driven by rates among white women. African-American women still have higher breast cancer death rates than white women nationally.” While, survival rates “have improved over time for both white and black women,” rates “remain about 10% lower” for black women.

62% of breast cancer cases “are diagnosed at a localized stage…, for which the 5-year survival is 99%”. (This means that 5-years after diagnosis, 99% of these cases are living.) In 2019, “there will be an estimated 268,600 new cases of invasive breast cancer diagnosed in women” and an “estimated 42,260 breast cancer deaths”. “Early diagnosis reduces the risk of dying from breast cancer and provides more treatment options”, and following these steps could save your life.