Breast cancer in Australia

Breast cancer is the most common cancer affecting Australian women.

Australia has one of the best breast cancer survival rates in the world. The incidence rate of women and men being diagnosed with breast cancer in Australia is increasing; however the mortality rate from breast cancer is decreasing.

In 2024, it is predicted that 20,973 women and 221 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer. This means that approximately 21,194 people will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year - on average, 58 people every day.

A snapshot of breast cancer statistics in Australia in 2024

• The risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer over a lifetime is 1 in 7 for women and 1 in 556 for men.
• It is estimated that breast cancer will account for approximately 28 per cent of all new cancers in Australian women.
• The chance of surviving at least five years (five year relative survival) has increased from 78 per cent in 1990-1994 to 92 per cent in 2016-2020.
• In 2020, BCNA estimate that there were at least 10,553 people living with metastatic breast cancer in Australia. Read more about our Time to Count campaign for people with metastatic breast cancer.
• Approximately 80 per cent of new cases of breast cancer are in women aged 50 or above.
• Breast cancer accounts for 14.1 per cent of  all cancer deaths in Australian women.

The graph below shows the projected incidence of breast cancer by age in Australian women in 2024.

Reference

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2024. Cancer data in Australia. Cat. no. CAN 122. Canberra: AIHW. Accessed: September 2024.