Breast cancer mortality statistics
Breast cancer mortality by gender and UK country
| Breast cancer is the 4th most common cause of cancer death in the UK, with around 11,200 deaths every year. Mortality rates are higher in females, making it the 2nd most common cause of cancer death in this demographic. |
Breast cancer mortality by age
| Mortality rates for breast cancer in the UK are highest in people aged 90+, with around 12.2% of all breast cancer deaths occurring in this age group (2021-2023). |
Breast cancer mortality trends over time
| Breast cancer mortality rates have decreased by almost half (45%) in the UK since the early 1970s, and rates have decreased by a sixth (17%) in the last decade (2021-2023). |
Breast cancer mortality projections
| Breast cancer mortality rates in the UK are projected to decrease by 13% between 2024-2026 and 2038-2040, with around 11,500 deaths each year by 2038-2040. |
Breast cancer by deprivation
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Mortality rates for breast cancer in the UK in females are 12% higher in the most deprived quintile compared with the least, and rates in males are 43% higher in the most deprived quintile compared with the least. Around 650 deaths from breast cancer each year in the UK are linked with deprivation (around 630 in females, and around 20 in males). |
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Acknowledgements
We are grateful to the many organisations across the UK which collect, analyse, and share the data which we use, and to the patients and public who consent for their data to be used. Find out more about the sources which are essential for our statistics.
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