Breast Cancer Survival Rates For All Types Of Breast Cancers
Breast cancer survival rates and prognosis are determined by so many different factors that it is always difficult to make generalizations.
NOTE: this page has been recently updated with the most up-to-date statistics. Prognosis has improved so much because breast cancer treatments have become more effective since this page was first created. Remember that survival is better than listed here. Most importantly, ask your oncologist and specialist team, who keep current with the latest statistics and best treatments.
Outlook For People With Stage 3 Breast Cancer
Its natural to want to know your outlook, but statistics dont tell the whole story. Your breast cancer type, overall health, and many more factors beyond your control may affect treatment outcomes.
Establishing open communication with your treatment team can help you best assess where you are in your cancer journey.
Support groups can be a great source of comfort as you navigate your diagnosis through your treatment and beyond. Your doctors office or hospital can offer some suggestions and resources in your area.
Cancer Fund Of America
Cancer Fund of America is just one of many philanthropic centers run by James T Reynolds and his somewhat crooked family. That the no-shame Reynolds takes home an annual salary of around $230,000 is bad enough . That the charity only manages to find it in its heart to give 2.5% of its donations to support the families of cancer victims and fund cancer research is even worse. If you want to subsidize the flash lifestyle of Reynolds, then go right ahead and donate. If youd rather your money found its way into the pockets of who it should, then maybe find yourself a better cause.
Read Also: What To Do If You Suspect Breast Cancer
Mortality Rates Versus Number Of Breast Cancer Deaths
Sometimes its useful to have an estimate of the number of people expected to die from breast cancer in a year. This numbers helps show the burden of breast cancer in a group of people.
Numbers, however, can be hard to compare to each other. To compare mortality in different populations, we need to look at mortality rates rather than the number of breast cancer deaths.
Predictors For Breast Cancer Survival Rates
It has to be remembered that every single breast cancer patient has itsown , unique scenario. Thus, prognosis and breast cancer survival rates are a rough guide ONLY.
However, there are consistent predictors for breast cancer survival rates and these include:-
- The stage of breast cancer at the time of diagnosis
- The Grade of the breast cancer
- A patients age at diagnosis
Don’t Miss: What Is The Recovery Time For Breast Cancer Surgery
The First Record Of A Mastectomy Offered For Breast Cancer Was Over 1500 Years Ago
The first record of a breast mastectomy was in A.D. 548 on Theodora, Empress of Byzantine. Significant progress in our understanding and treatment of breast cancer in recent decades has seen a dramatic reduction in the use of radical mastectomy , which was the standard surgical approach to breast cancer right up until the 1960s.
Fact 5
Examples Of Rates Versus Numbers
Say, town A has a population of 100,000 and town B has a population of 1,000. Over a year, say there are 100 breast cancer deaths in town A and 100 breast cancer deaths in town B.
The number of breast cancer deaths in each town is the same. However, many more people live in town A than live in town B. So, the mortality rates are quite different.
In town A, there were 10 breast cancer deaths among 100,000 people. This means the mortality rate was less than 1 percent .
In town B, the mortality rate was 10 percent .
Although the number of deaths was the same in town A and town B, the mortality rate was much higher in town B than in town A .
Lets look at another example. In 2021, its estimated among women there will be :
- 100 breast cancer deaths in Washington, D.C.
- 720 breast cancer deaths in Alabama
- 4,730 breast cancer deaths in California
Of the 3, California has the highest number of breast cancers. However, that doesnt mean it has the highest breast cancer rate. These numbers dont take into account the number of women who live in each state. Fewer women live in Alabama and Washington, D.C. than live in California.
Other factors may vary by state as well, such as the age and race/ethnicity of women. So, to compare breast cancer mortality , we need to look at mortality rates.
In 2021, the estimated mortality rates are :
- 26 per 100,000 women in Washington, D.C.
- 22 per 100,000 women in Alabama 22
- 19 per 100,000 women in California 20
You May Like: How Long Does Chemo Take For Breast Cancer
Age At The Time Of Diagnosis Affects Breast Cancer Survival Rates
It has always been known that curiously, young women have a poorer prognosis than older ones
Indeed, one cohort study examined 4,453 women with breast cancer between 1961 and 1991 who were all treated at the same center.
This study found that both ends of the age spectrum fared less well. So, women under the age of 40 years at diagnosis and those over 80 years had a statistically poorer prognosis.
However, for younger women, this may be due to the fact that they often present with higher-grade tumors that tend to be more aggressive and less likely to be hormone receptor-positive. This means that breast cancer may not respond as well to treatment.
So, it is important to bear in mind other factors discussed in this post, such as stage, grade and hormone receptor status play an important role in prognosis.
Phyllodes Or Cystosarcoma Phyllodes
Phyllodes is pronounced fill-oy-dees. This type of breast cancer makes up less than 1 in 100 breast cancers . Its also called cystosarcoma phyllodes. The first symptom is usually a lump in the breast.
Phyllodes can be either cancerous or non cancerous . It tends to occur in middle aged women or older. If cancerous, it might spread into the lymph nodes but this is rare.
Surgery is the main treatment. Sometimes you might also have radiotherapy or chemotherapy.
Also Check: What Is Radiation Treatment For Breast Cancer
Breast Cancer Survival Rates
The overall 5-year relative survival rate for breast cancer is 90%. This means 90 out of 100 women are alive 5 years after theyve been diagnosed with breast cancer.
The 10-year breast cancer relative survival rate is 84% . The invasive 15-year breast cancer relative survival rate is 80% .
Continued
Association For Firefighters And Paramedics
Deceptive fundraising ploys, improper allocation of funds, investigations by state authorities if there was a checklist of what makes a charity less than reputable, the Association for Firefighters and Paramedics would tick every box. Unless you want your donation to fund the lavish lifestyles of the charitys top execs, do yourself a favor and keep your money in your wallet.
You May Like: Who Is Susceptible To Breast Cancer
Committee For Missing Children
Like Operation Lookout National Center for Missing Youth, the next entry to our list reports to help return missing children to the parents arms. In reality, only 2% of donations go towards the cause. The rest, funnily enough, somewhere makes it into the likes of director David Thelens pockets. Thelen may defend his excessive salary by claiming to spend endless hours counseling the families of the missing children, but we doubt theyll be very thankful when they find out how little practical effort the charity puts into finding their kids.
Relative Survival Rate By Stage
The survival rates by stage are based on the stage at the time of diagnosis. Youve probably been given a number and letter for your cancer stage. Here, the terms localized, regional, and distant are used instead of numbers and letters. Heres what they mean and the 5-year relative survival rates for each:
- Localized breast cancer is only in the breast. This includes stage IA , some IIA , and some IIB . The 5-year relative survival rate is 99%.
- Regional breast cancer has spread to nearby tissue or lymph nodes. This includes stage IB , some IIA , some IIB , and all stage III . The 5-year relative survival rate is 86%.
- Distant breast cancer has spread to other parts of the body. This includes stage IV, pronounced stage 4). The 5-year relative survival rate is 28%.
Don’t Miss: How Do You Know If You Got Breast Cancer
Causes Of Triple Negative Breast Cancer
The risk factors for triple negative breast cancer are not clear. Some breast cancers depend on hormones to grow. These can be linked with risk factors to do with hormones and having children. But triple negative breast cancer does not seem to share these risk factors.
Most women with triple negative breast cancer have no strong history of breast cancer in their family . But some women with triple negative breast cancer have an altered BRCA1 gene. This will have been inherited from a parent.
An altered BRCA 1 gene can cause breast cancer to run in families. Most breast cancers caused by BRCA1 are triple negative.
If you have triple negative breast cancer, you may be offered genetic testing. This is even if you do not have a family history of breast cancer. Your cancer doctor or breast care nurse can explain more about this to you.
The tests are the same as for any type of breast cancer. You usually have a:
- Mammogram
A mammogram is an x-ray of the breast.
- Ultrasound scan
An ultrasound scan uses sound waves to produce a picture of the breast tissue and the lymph nodes in the armpit.
- Breast biopsy
When you have a breast biopsy, your cancer doctor or breast care nurse takes small samples of cells or tissue from your breast. The samples are looked at under a microscope to check for cancer cells. They also do other tests to find out if the cells have receptors for hormones, or for HER2.
See also
The staging and grading is the same as for other types of breast cancer.
Cancer Occurs When There Are Changes Also Known As Mutations In The Genes That Regulate Cell Growth These Mutations Let The Cell Divide In A Chaotic And Uncontrolled Manner The Cells Keep Multiplying And Producing Unwanted Copies That Get More Abnormal With Time Eventually In Most Cases These Copies Eventually Form A Tumor
Breast cancer as the name suggests is cancer that develops in the breast cells. This kind of cancer either forms in either the lobules or the ducts of the breasts. Lobules are the glands that produce milk and ducts are the pathways that bring the milk from the glands to the nipple. Cancer can also be present in the fatty tissue or the fibrous connective tissue within the breast.
The uncontrolled and chaotically growing cells can often invade other healthy cells of the breast tissue and can travel to the lymph nodes under the arms. The lymph nodes are a primary pathway that helps cancer to move to other parts of the body. HER2 positive breast cancer is any type of cancer that expresses the HER2 protein also known as the HER2/new a protein responsible for cancer growth and propagation.
15-25% of Breast cancer is HER2 positive which happens to be the most aggressive form of cancer. As the treatment for HER2 positive breast cancer is different, all breast cancer tissue is tested for it. The surgically removed tissue sample is tested for hormone receptor status , as well as HER2 positive tumors because HER2 positive tumors grow faster than the tumors that do not show the HER2 protein in their diagnosis.
Also Check: How Does Estrogen Cause Breast Cancer
How Does Staging Relate To Types Of Breast Cancer
In addition to cancer stage, doctors will determine the tumor grade and subtype.
Tumors are graded on a scale of 1 to 3, based on how abnormal the cells appear compared to normal cells. The higher the grade, the more aggressive the cancer, meaning that it tends to be growing quickly.
The subtype is important because treatment and outlook will vary depending on which subtype of breast cancer that you have. Subtypes include:
Breast Cancer Relief Foundation
Whether the Breast Cancer Relief Foundation is immoral or just extremely incompetent, were a bit unsure. What we are sure of is that of the millions of dollars its claims to send in medical supplies to developing nations, theres very little trace. Neither is there very much money making its way into cancer research, with only 2% of its donations ending up helping women with breast cancer.
Also Check: How To Check Myself For Breast Cancer
Poor Appetite And Weight Loss
Sometimes people with secondary breast cancer cant eat as much as usual. This means they have difficulty maintaining their weight as well as providing the body with energy. Low energy levels can affect mobility and might make it harder to manage any symptoms such as breathlessness.
Poor appetite can be due to the effects of the cancer, treatment or anxiety. A small number of people may have difficulty swallowing.
You might find it easier to eat little and often instead of having set meals. If you still feel you arent eating enough, are losing weight or have no interest in food, talk to your doctor or specialist nurse about dietary supplements or ask to speak to a dietitian for specialist advice.
In some circumstances you may be prescribed medication to help stimulate your appetite.
What Can Cause Changes In The Breasts
Was that lump there before? Why do my breasts hurt? Should that be happening? When you notice a change in your breast or something doesn’t feel quite right, your mind might rush to the worst-case scenario: cancer.
But before you panic, or imagine the worst, keep in mind that there are other aspects of a woman’s personal health that may cause physical changes in the breast tissue, many of which are unrelated to cancer. One of the best things that women can do to maintain their breast health over time is listen to their bodies, and learn to recognize the physical signs of trouble early on.
Also Check: How To Get Screened For Breast Cancer
Basal Cell Breast Cancer
Basal cell breast cancer is a type of breast cancer with a clear pattern of changes in proteins in the cells.
Cancer doctors recognise basal cell breast cancer when they examine the cancer cells under a microscope. It is often linked with triple negative breast cancer.
Basal cell breast cancers are usually triple negative. And most triple negative breast cancers are basal cell cancers. They are similar types of breast cancer, but not exactly the same.
See also
The symptoms of triple negative breast cancer are the same as for other breast cancer types.
See also
What Are The Survival Rates For Stage 3 Breast Cancer By Stage
Survival rates can be confusing. Remember that they dont reflect your individual circumstances.
The relative 5-year survival rate for stage 3 breast cancer is 86 percent, according to the American Cancer Society. This means that out of 100 people with stage 3 breast cancer, 86 will survive for 5 years.
But this figure doesnt consider breast cancer characteristics, like grade or subtype. It also doesnt distinguish between people with stage 3A, 3B, and 3C.
In comparison, the relative 5-year relative survival rate for stage 0 breast cancer is 100 percent. For stages 1 and 2, its 99 percent. For stage 4, the survival rate drops to 27 percent.
Recommended Reading: What Is Er Negative Breast Cancer
Survival And Mortality Rates
Survival depends on mortality. You start with 100 percent of the people in the group.
100 percent mortality rate = survival rate
Say, the mortality rate in the group of people is 5 percent. Survival would be 95 percent .
Similarly, the number of people in a group who survive depends on the number of people who die. Say, 500 people are in the group and 1 person dies. This means 499 people survived .
What Are The Treatment Options For Stage 3 Breast Cancer
Another way a doctor may describe stage 3 breast cancer is if its operable or inoperable. This will determine further treatments.
If a cancer is operable, this means a doctor believes most or all of the cancer can be removed with surgery.
Inoperable cancer is still treatable with systemic therapy, but surgery isnt the right option because doctors feel they cant remove enough cancerous cells.
Treatment options for stage 3 breast cancer may include:
- Surgery: known as a mastectomy, to remove cancerous tissue and also to remove lymph nodes
- Hormone therapy: to slow or stop the growth of cancerous cells, if hormones are driving their growth
- Chemotherapy: involves taking medications to kill fast-growing cancer cells
- Targeted therapy: uses your genes to attack cancer cells without harming healthy cells
Your doctor may also recommend a combination of two or more treatments.
Recommended Reading: Does Red Wine Cause Breast Cancer
See The Strategies One Woman Used To Get Herself Through Her Diagnosis Of Triple Negative Breast Cancer
IS TNBC A “WORSE” TYPE OF BREAST CANCER?
TNBC has a high and rapidly rising risk of relapse within two years of diagnosisa “worse” short-term prognosis compared to other, hormone-positive cancers.
On the other hand, two years after diagnosis, the risk of relapse falls rapidly, and continues to falla “good” longer-term prognosis. In fact, after year 5 the risk of recurrence begins to approach that of other breast cancers and after year 7 the risk of recurrence actually falls below that of other breast cancers.
Differences in prognosis depend on response to treatments. Chemotherapy is more effective with TNBC than with breast cancers that are estrogen receptor positive. TNBC patients benefit particularly from adjuvant chemotherapy .
Many doctors recommend radiation after chemotherapy and surgery, in hopes of killing any cancer cells developing in the diagnosed breast.
For locally recurrent or metastatic TNBC, current treatments are more limited than treatments for estrogen-dependent breast cancer. TNBC does not respond to hormonal therapies, such as may be given for many years to manage hormone-dependent breast cancers.
In some instances, neo-adjuvant chemotherapy is also effective against TNBC.
WHO GETS TNBC?
One cause of clustering among certain ethnic groups is an inherited genetic mutation called BRCA1. This mutation is often found in basal-like TNBC. Its presence has been most thoroughly studied in relation to African-American women.*