In 1996, more than 3,800 Wisconsin women were diagnosed with breast cancer and 815 women died from the disease. In Wisconsin, breast cancer accounts for over 30 percent of all female cancer cases. The risk of getting breast cancer increases with age, rising sharply after 40.
Men can develop breast cancer, although the number of reported cases are few.
The earlier breast cancer is detected, the more likely the person will survive. Breast cancer is detected earlier today than ever before, largely due to the increased use of mammography. In 1985, only 4 percent of breast cancer cases in Wisconsin were discovered at the earliest stage. Correspondingly, detection at the most advanced stage of breast cancer decreased from 7 percent in 1985 to 4 percent in 1996. This rise has been attributed to several factors, including more complete reporting, increased early case detection because more women are getting mammograms and the general aging of the population.