About one in 13 Australian women develop breast cancer at some time in their lives, and about one in 25 Australian women die because of breast cancer. Breast cancer in Australia and elsewhere is becoming more common. The lifetime risk was 1 in 17 only 20 years ago. Breast cancer can occur at any age, but it is far more common in older women than younger women. The average age at which breast cancer is diagnosed is 64.
Breast cancer can also occur in men, although it is rare.
Effective treatments are available for all types of breast cancer. The diagnosis of breast cancer affects every woman differently. For some, treatment will be particularly difficult and they will need help from family and friends as well as medical treatment and support. Others will manage with little upset to the routine of their daily lives. Being told you have breast cancer is not a death sentence, but it comes as a shock.