The SEER Program collects cancer data on a routine basis from designated population-based cancer registries in various areas of the country. Trends in cancer incidence, mortality and patient survival in the United States, as well as many other studies, are derived from this data bank.
Breast cancer is still the most common cancer among women, excluding skin cancers.
Death from breast cancer has declined since the early 1990s, primarily due to better breast cancer treatment, increases in breast cancer awareness and screening, and changes in breast cancer risk factors. Among all ages, Caucasian women are slightly more likely than African-American women to develop breast cancer. However, among women younger than 45, African-American women are more likely to develop breast cancer. Among all ages, African-American women are more likely to die of breast cancer. About 77 percent of women with newly diagnosed breast cancer are over the age of 50.