Breast cancer strikes one out of every eight American women.
It is the most common form of cancer among women in the United States, with about 185,000 new cases discovered annually. Breast cancer causes more deaths than any other form of cancer in women under age 55. If the cancer is diagnosed early, the cure rate is very high, with 97 percent of women surviving five years. Mammograms are an invaluable tool for the early detection of breast cancer. Mammograms, or X-rays of the breast, can even detect lumps too small to feel.