It is estimated that one in eight women will develop breast cancer sometime during her life. There are more women being diagnosed with breast cancer in New York State because breast cancer is more common at older ages and women are living longer. Also, the baby boom generation of women is entering their 50s, the age at which breast cancer becomes more common. Therefore, the number of women diagnosed with breast cancer will continue to increase. Improved early detection also contributes to the increase in new breast cancer cases.
Breast cancer is more common among older women.
The risk for getting breast cancer increases with age. More than three-quarters of the women who get breast cancer are over the age of fifty. White women are more likely to get breast cancer than African-American women. Scientists believe this may be related to delayed childbearing, fewer pregnancies, diet and possibly other factors shared by women in higher income groups. At this time, scientists do not know exactly what causes breast cancer.