Breast cancer incidence (invasive) statistics

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK, accounting for 15% of all new cancer cases (2017-2019).[1-4]

In females in the UK, breast cancer is the most common cancer (30% of all new female cancer cases). In males in the UK, it is not among the 20 most common cancers (less than 1% of all new male cancer cases).

99% of breast cancer cases in the UK are in females, and 1% are in males.

Breast cancer incidence rates (European age-standardised (AS) rate Open a glossary item) for persons are significantly lower than the UK average in Wales and are similar to the UK average in all other UK constituent countries.

For breast cancer, like most cancer types, differences between countries largely reflect risk factor prevalence in years past.

Breast Cancer (C50), Average Number of New Cases Per Year, Crude and European Age-Standardised (AS) Incidence Rates per 100,000 Population, UK, 2017-2019

  England Scotland Wales Northern Ireland UK
Female Cases 47,291 4,872 2,772 1,494 56,428
Crude Rate 167.1 174.5 174.2 156.3 167.7
AS Rate 170.3 169.1 165.1 166.4 169.9
AS Rate - 95% LCL 169.4 166.3 161.5 161.6 169.1
AS Rate - 95% UCL 171.2 171.8 168.6 171.3 170.7
Male Cases 333 30 18 12 394
Crude Rate 1.2 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.2
AS Rate 1.4 1.3 1.2 1.7 1.4
AS Rate - 95% LCL 1.3 1.0 0.9 1.1 1.3
AS Rate - 95% UCL 1.5 1.5 1.5 2.2 1.4
Persons Cases 47,624 4,902 2,790 1,506 56,822
Crude Rate 85.1 90.1 88.9 80.0 85.5
AS Rate 89.9 90.7 87.4 88.7 89.9
AS Rate - 95% LCL 89.5 89.2 85.5 86.1 89.4
AS Rate - 95% UCL 90.4 92.2 89.3 91.3 90.3
95% LCL and 95% UCL are the 95% lower and upper confidence limits around the AS Rate Open a glossary item

References

  1. England data were provided by the National Cancer Registration and Analysis Service (NCRAS), part of the National Disease Registration Service (NDRS) in NHS England, on request through the Office for Data Release, January 2023. Similar data can be found here: https://www.cancerdata.nhs.uk/ 

  2.  Northern Ireland data were provided by the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry (NICR) on request, October 2021. Similar data can be found here:http://www.qub.ac.uk/research-centres/nicr/. 

  3. Welsh data were published by the Welsh Cancer Intelligence and Surveillance Unit (WCISU), Health Intelligence Division, Public Health Wales https://phw.nhs.wales/services-and-teams/welsh-cancer-intelligence-and-surveillance-unit-wcisu/cancer-reporting-tool-official-statistics/ June 2022. 

  4. Scotland data were provided by the Scottish Cancer Registry, Public Health Scotland (PHS) on request, May 2021. Similar data can be found here: https://publichealthscotland.scot/publications/show-all-releases?id=20468

About this data

Data is for UK, 2017-2019, ICD-10 C50.

Last reviewed:

In the UK in 2017-2019, on average each year around a quarter of new cases (24%) were in people aged 75 and over.[1-4]

Age-specific incidence rates rise steadily from age 25-29, more steeply from age 35-39 for females and from 60-64 for males . The highest rates are in the 85 to 89 age group for females and males.

Incidence rates are significantly higher for females than males in most age groups. The gap is widest at age 30 to 34, when the age-specific incidence rate is 2124 times higher for females than males.

Breast cancer (C50), Average Number of New Cases per Year and Age-Specific Incidence Rates per 100,000 Females, 2017-2019

Breast cancer (C50), Average Number of New Cases per Year and Age-Specific Incidence Rates per 100,000 Males, 2016-2019

For female breast cancer, like most cancer types, incidence increases with age. There is a brief plateau shortly after age 50 when routine screening starts, reflecting the diagnosis of prevalent cases at first-time screening. The brief drop in incidence shortly after age 70 when routine screening ends may be a compensatory drop as screening has brought forward diagnoses in women in this age group; incidence subsequently returns to the rates expected. The overall increase in incidence with age largely reflects cell DNA damage accumulating over time. Damage can result from biological processes or from exposure to risk factors. A drop or plateau in incidence in the oldest age groups often indicates reduced diagnostic activity perhaps due to general ill health.

See also

Breast cancer (in situ) incidence statistics by age

Breast cancer mortality statistics by age

Breast cancer survival statistics by age

Cancer incidence statistics by age for all cancers

References

  1. England data were provided by the National Cancer Registration and Analysis Service (NCRAS), part of the National Disease Registration Service (NDRS) in NHS England, on request through the Office for Data Release, January 2023. Similar data can be found here: https://www.cancerdata.nhs.uk/ 

  2.  Northern Ireland data were provided by the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry (NICR) on request, October 2021. Similar data can be found here:http://www.qub.ac.uk/research-centres/nicr/. 

  3. Welsh data were published by the Welsh Cancer Intelligence and Surveillance Unit (WCISU), Health Intelligence Division, Public Health Wales https://phw.nhs.wales/services-and-teams/welsh-cancer-intelligence-and-surveillance-unit-wcisu/cancer-reporting-tool-official-statistics/ June 2022. 

  4. Scotland data were provided by the Scottish Cancer Registry, Public Health Scotland (PHS) on request, May 2021. Similar data can be found here: https://publichealthscotland.scot/publications/show-all-releases?id=20468

About this data

Data is for UK, 2017-2019, ICD-10 C50.

Last reviewed:

Breast cancer European age-standardised (AS) Open a glossary item incidence rates for females and males combined increased by 18% in the UK between 1993-1995 and 2017-2019.[1-4] The change varied markedly between sexes.

For females, breast cancer AS incidence rates in the UK increased by 24% between 1993-1995 and 2017-2019. For males, breast cancer AS incidence rates in the UK remained stable between 1993-1995 and 2017-2019.

Over the last decade in the UK (between 2007-2009 and 2017-2019), breast cancer AS incidence rates for females and males combined increased by 3%. In females AS incidence rates increased by 4%, and in males rates remained stable.

Breast Cancer (ICD-10 C50), European Age-Standardised Incidence Rates, Female Population, 1993 to 2019

Breast Cancer (ICD-10 C50), European Age-Standardised Incidence Rates, Male Population, 1993 to 2019

Breast cancer incidence rates have increased overall in most broad age groups in females in the UK since the early 1990s, but have remained stable in some.[1-4] Rates in 25-49s have increased by 17%, in 50-64s have increased by 14%, in 65-69s have increased by 65%, in 70-79s have increased by 33% and in 80+s have increased by 20%.

Breast Cancer (ICD-10 C50), European Age-Standardised Incidence Rates per 100,000 Female Population, By Age, UK, 1993-2019

Breast cancer incidence rates have remained stable overall in all broad age groups in males in the UK since the early 1990s.[1-4] Rates in 25-49s have remained stable, in 50-64s have remained stable, in 65-69s have remained stable, in 70-79s have remained stable and in 80+s have remained stable.

Breast Cancer (ICD-10 C50), European Age-Standardised Incidence Rates per 100,000 Male Population, By Age, UK, 1993-2019

For breast cancer, like most cancer types, incidence trends largely reflect changing prevalence of risk factors and improvements in diagnosis and data recording. Recent incidence trends are influenced by risk factor prevalence in years past, and trends by age group reflect risk factor exposure in birth cohorts.The introduction of the breast screening programmes in the late-1980s also plays a part for females.

References

  1. England data were provided by the National Cancer Registration and Analysis Service (NCRAS), part of the National Disease Registration Service (NDRS) in NHS England, on request through the Office for Data Release, January 2023. Similar data can be found here: https://www.cancerdata.nhs.uk/ 

  2.  Northern Ireland data were provided by the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry (NICR) on request, October 2021. Similar data can be found here:http://www.qub.ac.uk/research-centres/nicr/. 

  3. Welsh data were published by the Welsh Cancer Intelligence and Surveillance Unit (WCISU), Health Intelligence Division, Public Health Wales https://phw.nhs.wales/services-and-teams/welsh-cancer-intelligence-and-surveillance-unit-wcisu/cancer-reporting-tool-official-statistics/ June 2022. 

  4. Scotland data were provided by the Scottish Cancer Registry, Public Health Scotland (PHS) on request, May 2021. Similar data can be found here: https://publichealthscotland.scot/publications/show-all-releases?id=20468

About this data

Data is for UK, 1993-2019, ICD-10 C50.

Last reviewed:

The most common specific location for invasive breast cancers in the UK is the upper-outer quadrant of the breast (2016-2018).[1-4] Variation of incidence by anatomical site may reflect the physical size of each site, and differences in risk factor exposure by site, among other factors.

Download this data

Cases and percentages may not sum due to rounding

See also

Find out more about the counting and coding of this data

In situ breast carcinoma incidence by anatomical site

References

  1. Data were provided by the National Cancer Registration and Analysis Service (part of Public Health England), on request through the Office for Data Release, July 2021. Similar data can be found here: https://www.ons.gov.uk
  2. Data were provided by ISD Scotland on request, April 2020. Similar data can be found here: http://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Cancer/Publications.
  3. Data were published by the Welsh Cancer Intelligence and Surveillance Unit, Health Intelligence Division, Public Health Wales, March 2021. https://phw.nhs.wales/services-and-teams/welsh-cancer-intelligence-and-surveillance-unit-wcisu/cancer-incidence-in-wales-2002-2018/.
  4. Data were provided by the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry on request, June 2020. Similar data can be found here: http://www.qub.ac.uk/research-centres/nicr/

About this data

Data is for UK, 2016-2018, ICD-10 C50. For some cases the specific location of the cancer is not recorded, this may be due to clinical or data recording factors.

Last reviewed:

The number of new breast cancer cases in females on average each year in the UK is projected to rise from around 61,800 cases in 2023-2025 to around 69,900 cases in 2038-2040.[1]

Breast cancer incidence rates are projected to rise by less than 1% in the UK between 2023-2025 and 2038-2040, to 175 cases per 100,000 females on average each year by 2038-2040.[1]

Breast cancer (C50), Observed and Projected Age-Standardised Incidence Rates, UK, 1993-2040

Download the data table (xlsx)

See also

Find out how these projections were calculated

Incidence trends over time for breast cancer

Projections of incidence for all cancers combined

Breast cancer risk

Download the projections data table

References

Calculated by the Cancer Intelligence Team at Cancer Research UK, February 2023. Age-period-cohort modelling approach described here, using 2020-based population projections (Office for National Statistics) and observed cancer incidence (1975-2018 for England, Scotland and Wales, 1993-2018 for Northern Ireland).

About this data

Projections are based on incidence data from 1975-2018 (England, Scotland and Wales) and 1993-2018 (Northern Ireland); the above figure presents all UK data from 1993-2018 (observed) and 2019-2040 (projected). Number of new cases and age-standardised rates are presented as annual averages for each 3-year rolling period. ICD-10 codes C50.

Projections are based on observed incidence rates and therefore implicitly include changes in cancer risk factors and diagnosis. Confidence intervals are not calculated for the projected figures. Projections are by their nature uncertain because unexpected events in future could change the trend. It is not sensible to calculate a boundary of uncertainty around these already uncertain point estimates. Changes are described as 'increase' or 'decrease' if there is any difference between the point estimates.

More on projections methodology

Last reviewed:

Breast cancer incidence rates (European age-standardised (AS) rates Open a glossary item) in England in females are 14% lower in the most deprived quintile compared with the least, and in males are similar in the most deprived quintile compared with the least (2013-2017).[1]

It is estimated that there are around 3,000 fewer cases of breast cancer each year in England in females than there would be if every deprivation quintile had the same age-specific crude incidence rates as the least deprived quintile.

Breast Cancer (C50), Estimated Average Number of Fewer Cases per Year, by Deprivation Quintile, England, 2013-2017

Breast Cancer (C50), European Age-Standardised Incidence Rates per 100,000 Population, by Deprivation Quintile, England, 2013-2017

No data are shown for males as the difference in age-standardised incidence rates between most and least deprived quintiles is not significant for males.

See also

Data table: Cancer incidence rates and excess cases by cancer type in England

Incidence by deprivation for all cancer types combined

Breast cancer mortality by deprivation  (not directly comparable with incidence by deprivation)

Cancer incidence by deprivation for Scotland

Cancer incidence by deprivation for Wales

Cancer incidence by deprivation for Northern Ireland

References

  1. Calculated by the Cancer Intelligence Team at Cancer Research UK, April 2020. Based on method reported in National Cancer Intelligence Network Cancer by Deprivation in England Incidence, 1996-2010 Mortality, 1997-2011 . Using cancer incidence data 2013-2017 (Public Health England) and population data 2013-2017 (Office for National Statistics) by Indices of Multiple Deprivation 2015 income domain quintile, cancer type, sex, and five-year age band.

About this data

Data is for England, 2013-2017, ICD-10 C21.

Last reviewed:

An estimated 491,300 women who had been diagnosed with female breast cancer between 1991 and 2010 were alive in the UK at the end of 2010.[1]

See also

Breast cancer incidence statistics by sex and UK country

What is prevalence?

References

  1. Macmillan Cancer Support and National Cancer Registration and Analysis Service. Cancer Prevalence UK Data Tables. London: NCRAS; 2015.

About this data

Data is for: Great Britain (1991-2010) and Northern Ireland (1993-2010), ICD-10 C50.

Last reviewed:

Cancer stats explained

See information and explanations on terminology used for statistics and reporting of cancer, and the methods used to calculate some of our statistics.

Cancer stats explained

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