Breast cancer survival climbs above 90% in latest US data
Five-year survival for breast cancer has risen from roughly 75% in the late 1970s to above 90% as of 2022.
The dramatic improvement stems from better screening, earlier detection and advances in treatment. The death rate among US women fell 44% from 1989 to 2024, preventing an estimated 500,000 to 517,900 deaths.
About more than 320,000 new invasive breast cancer cases are expected annually. Most cases are caught before they spread: 64% are diagnosed at a localized stage, where outcomes are best.
But inequality persists. Black women develop triple-negative breast cancer more often, a more aggressive form with higher mortality rates.
The average age at diagnosis is 63 for women and 60 to 70 for men.
- above 90%
- Five-year survival rate now
- 500,000 to 517,900
- Deaths prevented 1989-2024
- more than 320,000
- New invasive cases annually
- 64%
- Cases caught at localized stage
Why it mattersScreening and treatment advances save lives, but survival depends on access to care and early detection, which are not equally available everywhere.
AustraliaAustralian women benefit from similar screening and treatment advances, but the figures show that access to timely diagnosis remains a barrier in lower-income countries and some communities.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 11 h ago
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