An illustration of a realistic-appearing woman with a transparetnt bubble (with breast cancer with) emerging from her upper outer left breast.

The Hidden Truth About Breast Cancer Rates

Despite drops in breast cancer mortality, incidence is rising in some groups.

Michael Hunter, MD
BeingWell
Published in
3 min readOct 5, 2024

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My life is devoted to helping individuals (and those who care about them) with cancer.

I am always on the lookout for good news in the oncology arena.

The American Cancer Society’s Breast Cancer Statistics, 2024, the organization’s biennial update on breast cancer occurrence and trends in the United States.

An illustration of breast cancer cells.
Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash

Good News: Breast Cancer Mortality Dropping

Today, I have some good news.

And some bad.

It’s a cause for hope: breast cancer mortality rates have fallen by nearly half (44 percent) since 1989.

That’s a stunning number, a testament to the power of early detection and treatment advances in our fight against breast cancer.

In other words, improvements in breast cancer detection and management have averted 517,900 breast cancer deaths.

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BeingWell
BeingWell

Published in BeingWell

A Medika Life Publication for the Medical Community

Michael Hunter, MD
Michael Hunter, MD

Written by Michael Hunter, MD

I have degrees from Harvard, Yale, and Penn. I am a radiation oncologist in the Seattle area. You may find me regularly posting at www.newcancerinfo.com