Breast cancer
Different factors affect your outlook (). The statistics on this page do not take all of these into account or tell you about your own case. You can talk to your doctor who knows about your situation. They can tell you more about your prognosis.
No UK-wide statistics are available for different stages of breast cancer. Survival statistics are available for each stage of breast cancer in England. These figures are for women diagnosed between 2018 and 2022.
Most women (almost 100%) survive their cancer for 5 years or more after diagnosis.
90 out of 100 women (90%) survive their cancer for 5 years or more after diagnosis.
Around 75 out of 100 women (around 75%) survive their cancer for 5 years or more after diagnosis.
More than 30 out of 100 women (more than 30%) survive their cancer for 5 years or more after they are diagnosed.
Treatment will not cure stage 4 breast cancer, but it can control the cancer for some years.
You can view further breast cancer statistics on our early diagnosis pages. There are figures for:
survival in Wales and Northern Ireland
10 year breast cancer survival in England
Survival statistics for Scotland are not available.
Go to our early diagnosis data hub to view survival statistics for Wales and Northern Ireland
The UK survival statistics come from England and Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland have a similar population and health care system. So we can apply these survival statistics to the whole of the UK.
Generally for women with breast cancer in the UK:
more than 95 out of every 100 (more than 95%) survive their cancer for 1 year or more
almost 90 out of every 100 (almost 90%) survive their cancer for 5 years or more
more than 75 out of every 100 (more than 75%) survive their cancer for 10 years or more
Your prognosis depends on the stage of the cancer when it was diagnosed. This means how big it is and whether it has spread. You can ask your doctor about the stage of your cancer.
Read more about the stages of breast cancer
There are different types of breast cancer. Your type of breast cancer affects your prognosis.
Read about the different types of breast cancer
The grade describes how abnormal the cancer cells look under a microscope. It gives your doctor some idea of how the cancer might behave. Low grade cancers tend to grow more slowly than high grade. High grade cancers are more likely to come back after treatment.
Read about the grades of breast cancer
Whether your breast cancer cells have receptors can affect your prognosis. You have tests to look for these receptors on the surface of the breast cancer cells. The doctors look for and .
Read more about tests on your breast cancer cells
For more in depth information about breast cancer survival, go to our Cancer Statistics section.
Last reviewed: 22 May 2026
Next review due: 22 May 2029
Breast cancer is cancer that starts in the breast tissue. It’s the most common cancer in the UK. It mainly affects women, but men can get it too.
You usually start by seeing your GP. Your GP will examine you and may refer you to a specialist breast clinic. Or you may have had breast changes picked up through breast screening.
The stage tells you how big your cancer is and whether it has spread. The grade means how abnormal the cells look under a microscope.
Treatment for breast cancer depends on a number of factors. The main treatments are surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, hormone therapy, and targeted and immunotherapy drugs.
Getting practical, physical and emotional support can help you to cope with a diagnosis of breast cancer. It can also help you with life during and after treatment.
Find out about breast cancer, including symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, survival, and how to cope with the effects on your life and relationships.
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Questions about cancer? Call freephone 0808 800 40 40 from 9 to 5 - Monday to Friday. Alternatively, you can email us.
