Breast cancer in Canada

Tell us what you think

Help us improve our products, answer our quick survey.

Breast cancer develops in the cells of the breast tissue. When these cells change or no longer behave normally, they may lead to benign tumours (non-cancerous). In some cases, the changes may cause malignant breast tumours (cancerous).

The data ^{Footnote 1},^{Footnote 2}

• Breast cancer is the 2^nd most common cancer in Canada
• 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime
• About 28,600 women will have been diagnosed with breast cancer in 2022
• In women, breast cancer is the #1 cancer
• 83% of cases occur in women aged 50+

Risk factors include^{Footnote *}

• Aging
• Family history
• BRCA gene mutation
• Reproductive status (e.g. late menopause)
• Hormone exposures (e.g. estrogen)
• Alcohol intake
• Overweight or obesity (after menopause)
• Physical inactivity

Screening and detection ^{Footnote 2},^{Footnote 3}

• 82% of female breast cancer cases are diagnosed early in their development, at Stage I and II
• The probability of surviving breast cancer at least five years after diagnosis is about 89% in Canada

Screening for breast cancer with mammography every 2 to 3 years is recommended for average-risk women aged 50 to 74.

The screening guidelines above are available from the Canadian task Force on Preventive Health Care.

Notes:

Statistics for lifetime probability, stage and survival exclude Quebec. Stage statistics include individuals aged 18 to 79 years at diagnosis and survival statistics include individuals aged 15 to 99 years at diagnosis. Unless specified, statistics include all stages combined.

Learn more about breast cancer: