Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed among women in the U.S.
Approximately 1 in 8 women (13%) in the U.S. will develop invasive breast cancer at some point in their life. It is the most common cancer diagnosed among women in the U.S.
Each year, 32% of all newly diagnosed cancers in women are breast cancer.
The median age at the time of breast cancer diagnosis is 62 — meaning that half of women with breast cancer are diagnosed before age 62 and half are diagnosed afterward. About 16% of women with breast cancer are younger than 50 years of age.
Many experts, and several major medical societies, recommend that women who are at average risk of breast cancer get screening mammograms every year starting at age 40. (If you uninsured or need assistance please visit our Breast Health Programs page.)
Routine screening tests (such as yearly mammograms) are done to find breast cancer early, before any symptoms develop. Breast cancer that is caught early may be easier to treat. You and your doctor can decide when you should start breast cancer screening, what screening tests you should have, and how often you should have them, based on your individual risk.
The best way to find out your individual risk for breast cancer is to ask your primary care doctor or gynecologist to do a risk assessment or to refer you to a breast clinic for evaluation. Black women and women of Ashkenazi Jewish descent may be at higher-than-average risk for breast cancer and women with dense breast tissue are at slightly higher risk for breast cancer than those whose breast tissue is not dense. Women with close relatives who’ve been diagnosed with breast cancer have a higher risk of developing the disease.
Mammograms are one of the best tools that doctors have to screen for and diagnose breast cancer. By going for your regular mammograms and physicals and examining your own breasts, you have the best chances of catching breast cancer early. Talk to your doctor about your screening program, which will depend on your individual risk. If you’re at a higher-than-average risk of breast cancer, they may recommend that you start annual mammograms at an earlier age. You may also be monitored more closely using other screenings and tests.
Step 1: Examine your breasts in a mirror with hands on hips
Begin by looking at your breasts in the mirror with your shoulders straight and your arms on your hips.
Here’s what you should look for:
- breasts that are their usual size, shape, and color
- breasts that are evenly shaped without visible distortion or swelling
If you see any of the following changes, bring them to your doctor’s attention:
- dimpling, puckering, or bulging of the skin
- a nipple that has changed position or an inverted nipple (pushed inward instead of sticking out)
- redness, soreness, rash, or swelling
Step 2: Raise arms and examine your breasts
Now, raise your arms and look for the same changes.
Step 3: Look for signs of breast fluid
While you’re at the mirror, look for any signs of fluid coming out of one or both nipples (this could be a watery, milky, or yellow fluid or blood).
Step 4: Feel for breast lumps while lying down
Next, check for breast lumps or abnormalities by feeling your breasts while lying down, using your right hand to feel your left breast, and then your left hand to feel your right breast. Use a firm, smooth touch with the first few finger pads of your hand, keeping the fingers flat and together. Press down with your fingers and move them in a circular motion that’s about the size of a quarter (or an inch around).
Cover the entire breast from top to bottom, side to side — from your collarbone to the top of your abdomen, and from your armpit to your cleavage.
Follow a pattern to be sure that you cover the whole breast. You can begin at the nipple, moving in larger and larger circles until you reach the outer edge of the breast. You can also move your fingers up and down vertically, in rows, as if you were mowing a lawn.
Be sure to feel all the tissue from the front to the back of your breasts. For the skin and tissue just beneath, use light pressure; use medium pressure for tissue in the middle of your breasts; use firm pressure for the deep tissue in the back. When you’ve reached the deep tissue, you should be able to feel down to your ribcage.
Step 5: Feel your breasts for lumps while standing or sitting
Finally, feel your breasts while you are standing or sitting. Many women find that the easiest way to feel their breasts is when their skin is wet and slippery, so they like to do this step in the shower. Cover your entire breast, using the same hand movements described in Step 4.
Don’t panic. Most women have some lumps or lumpy areas in their breasts all the time, and most breast lumps turn out to be benign (not cancerous).
It is estimated that approximately 316,950 women were diagnosed in 2025 with invasive breast cancer, with 59,080 new cased of non-invasive ductal carcinoma in situ.
Between 1980 and 2000, breast cancer incidence rates in the U.S. climbed, before dropping in the early 2000s.
From 2012-2021, rates increased by 1% overall, with the highest increases found in –
- Women younger than 50 years old (1.4% per year)
- Hispanic women (1.6% per year)
- Asian American and Pacific Islander (2.6% per year)
There are currently more than 4 million women with a history of breast cancer in the U.S. This includes women currently being treated and women who have finished their treatment.
It is estimated 42,170 women will die from breast cancer this year.
Men can also be diagnosed with breast cancer. They account for less than 1% of breast cancer diagnosis.
*Source: breastcancer.org