---
title: "Breast Cancer Statistics 2026: Global, UK, US & Indonesia"
description: "Breast cancer statistics 2026 for the world, UK, US and Indonesia: cases, deaths and survival, each with its year, official source and the date we checked it."
url: https://breastcancer-charity.org/breast-cancer-statistics-2026/
robots: noindex
---

# Breast Cancer Statistics 2026: Global, UK, US & Indonesia

Data snapshot 2026.10 · published 22 October 2026 · CC BY 4.0

A dated snapshot of breast cancer cases, deaths and survival worldwide and in the UK, the US and Indonesia. Every figure shows the year it describes, links to its official source and gives the date we checked it.

## Quick answer

About 2.43 million people were diagnosed with breast cancer worldwide in 2024 and 694,000 died, according to WHO's cancer agency (IARC). Cases are projected to reach 3.2 million a year by 2050. The UK records about 59,400 cases a year; for 2026 the American Cancer Society projects 321,910 invasive cases in US women.

New cases worldwide 2.43 million 2024 · [WHO IARC (GLOBOCAN 2024)](https://gco.iarc.who.int/media/globocan/factsheets/cancers/20-breast-fact-sheet.pdf) Deaths worldwide 693,660 2024 · [WHO IARC (GLOBOCAN 2024)](https://gco.iarc.who.int/media/globocan/factsheets/cancers/20-breast-fact-sheet.pdf) New cases a year in the UK 59,413 2019, 2021–2022 (average) · [Cancer Research UK](https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/statistics-by-cancer-type/breast-cancer) Invasive cases in US women, 2026 321,910 2026 · [American Cancer Society](https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/breast-cancer/key-statistics.html)

## How many people get breast cancer worldwide?

Breast cancer was the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in the world in 2024, after lung cancer, and the most common cancer in women in 164 of 186 countries. These are GLOBOCAN estimates from WHO's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), published in July 2026. Survival varies widely: median five-year net survival is 41.9% in low-income countries and 87.3% in high-income countries.

| Measure | Figure | Year | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| New breast cancer cases Both sexes (almost all women) · 2,434,087. WHO rounds this to 2.4 million women |
| Breast cancer deaths Both sexes (almost all women) · WHO rounds this to 694,000 |
| Share of all new cancer cases Both sexes |
| Share of all cancer deaths Both sexes · After lung, colorectal and liver cancer |
| New cases per 100,000 a year (age-standardised, world) Both sexes |
| Deaths per 100,000 a year (age-standardised, world) Both sexes |
| Countries where it is the most common cancer in women Women |
| Share of breast cancer deaths in low- and middle-income countries Women |
| New breast cancer cases (previous edition) Women · Replaced by the 2024 estimates in July 2026 |
| Breast cancer deaths (previous edition) Women · Replaced by the 2024 estimates in July 2026 |
| New breast cancer cases a year by 2050 Women · +38% on the 2022 baseline (Kim et al., Nature Medicine 2025) |
| Breast cancer deaths a year by 2050 Women · +68% on the 2022 baseline |
| Lifetime risk of a breast cancer diagnosis Women |
| Five-year net survival, global median of countries Women |
| Five-year net survival, low-income countries Women · World Bank income groups |
| Five-year net survival, lower-middle-income countries Women |
| Five-year net survival, upper-middle-income countries Women |
| Five-year net survival, high-income countries Women |

## How many people get breast cancer in the UK?

About 59,400 people are diagnosed with breast cancer in the UK each year, almost all of them women, and about 11,200 die from it. Survival depends strongly on stage: in England almost all women diagnosed at stage 1 survive five years, compared with more than 30% at stage 4.

| Measure | Figure | Year | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| New breast cancer cases a year Both sexes · 2020 left out because of the pandemic |
| New cases a year, women Women |
| New cases a year, men Men |
| Breast cancer deaths a year Both sexes · About 31 a day |
| New breast cancer diagnoses in England, women Women, England · Plus 428 men. 2024 data due 5 November 2026 |
| Cases with a known stage found at stage 1 or 2, England Both sexes, England · About 35,000 cases |
| Five-year net survival, stage 1, England Women, England · Rounded in words by CRUK |
| Five-year net survival, stage 2, England Women, England |
| Five-year net survival, stage 3, England Women, England · Rounded in words by CRUK |
| Five-year net survival, stage 4, England Women, England · Lower bound; CRUK says more than 30% |
| Five-year net survival, all stages, England Women, England |
| Ten-year survival (predicted) Women · Modelled, so labelled predicted by CRUK |
| Lifetime risk of a breast cancer diagnosis Women born in 1961 |
| Cases that are preventable Both sexes |
| Women screened by the NHS Breast Screening Programme, England Women aged 45+, England · 1.94 million of them were women aged 50–70 attending within 6 months of an invitation |
| Cancers found by NHS breast screening, England Women aged 45+, England · 9.0 per 1,000 women screened |
| Screening coverage, England Women aged 53 to under 71, England · Screened in the last 3 years |

## How many people get breast cancer in the US?

The American Cancer Society projects 321,910 new invasive breast cancers in US women in 2026, plus 60,730 cases of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), and 42,140 deaths. The latest actual counts, from the CDC, are 288,494 new cases in 2023 and 43,402 deaths in 2024.

| Measure | Figure | Year | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| New invasive breast cancer cases, women Women · Excludes in situ cancers. Modelled from registry data to 2022 |
| New ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) cases, women Women · Model-based estimate; ACS advises caution |
| All new cases in women, invasive plus DCIS Women · 321,910 invasive + 60,730 DCIS. The total some charities quote |
| New invasive breast cancer cases, men Men |
| Breast cancer deaths, women Women · 42,670 including 530 men |
| New breast cancers reported, women Women · Latest actual count, covering 100% of the US population |
| Breast cancer deaths recorded, women Women · Death certificates |
| New cases per 100,000 women a year (age-adjusted) Women |
| Deaths per 100,000 women a year (age-adjusted) Women |
| Lifetime risk of a breast cancer diagnosis Women |
| Five-year relative survival, all stages Women · SEER 21 registries, excluding Illinois |
| Five-year relative survival, localized Women · Confined to the breast; 64.0% of cases |
| Five-year relative survival, regional Women · Spread to nearby lymph nodes |
| Five-year relative survival, distant (metastatic) Women · Spread to distant organs |

## How many people get breast cancer in Indonesia?

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in Indonesia. IARC estimates 93,236 new cases and 38,012 deaths in 2024. The Ministry of Health says more than 70% of patients first reach a health facility at stage III or IV.

| Measure | Figure | Year | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| New breast cancer cases Both sexes · Most common cancer in Indonesia: 19.7% of all new cases |
| Breast cancer deaths Both sexes · Second cause of cancer death after lung: 13.4% of cancer deaths |
| People living within five years of a diagnosis Both sexes · Five-year prevalence |
| New breast cancer cases (previous edition) Both sexes · 22,598 deaths in the same edition |
| Patients who first reach a health facility at stage III or IV Breast cancer patients · Signed 29 June 2026; the 2018 guideline said more than 80% |

## Why do breast cancer statistics differ between sources?

Well-known sources often publish different numbers for what sounds like the same thing. Usually they are counting different things: a different year, an estimate rather than a count, invasive cancers only or in situ cancers too, women only or everyone, or a different survival method.

### US 2026: 321,910 or 382,640 new cases?

- 321,910 is the American Cancer Society's projection of invasive breast cancers in US women in 2026. Its headline counts leave out in situ cancers.
- Adding the society's separate estimate of 60,730 ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) cases gives 382,640. Some charities and news reports quote this larger total as the number of women diagnosed.
- Neither figure includes men. With 2,670 projected cases in men, invasive cases in both sexes come to 324,580.
- Both are projections modelled from registry data up to 2022. The latest actual count, from the CDC, is 288,494 new cases in women in 2023.

Figures: [321,910 (American Cancer Society, 2026)](#us-invasive-women-2026), [60,730 (American Cancer Society, 2026)](#us-dcis-women-2026), [382,640 (American Cancer Society, 2026)](#us-all-women-2026), [2,670 (American Cancer Society, 2026)](#us-invasive-men-2026), [288,494 (CDC U.S. Cancer Statistics, 2023)](#us-cases-women-2023)

### Worldwide: 2.3 million or 2.4 million cases?

- Both come from IARC's GLOBOCAN estimates. 2.3 million cases and 670,000 deaths describe 2022. The edition published on 8 July 2026 describes 2024: 2.43 million cases and 693,660 deaths.
- Pages written before July 2026 still quote the 2022 figures, so check the year before comparing.
- WHO's fact sheet rounds the 2024 figures to 2.4 million women and 694,000 deaths.
- The 2050 projection of 3.2 million cases and 1.1 million deaths a year was made from the 2022 baseline. Its 38% rise in cases is measured against 2.3 million, not 2.43 million.

Figures: [2.3 million (WHO IARC (GLOBOCAN 2022), 2022)](#global-cases-2022), [670,000 (WHO IARC (GLOBOCAN 2022), 2022)](#global-deaths-2022), [2.43 million (WHO IARC (GLOBOCAN 2024), 2024)](#global-cases-2024), [693,660 (WHO IARC (GLOBOCAN 2024), 2024)](#global-deaths-2024), [3.2 million (WHO IARC, 2050)](#global-cases-2050)

### US deaths: 42,140 projected or 43,402 counted?

- The CDC counted 43,402 breast cancer deaths in US women in 2024, from death certificates.
- The American Cancer Society's 42,140 is a model projection for 2026. It is lower than the latest count, so it should not be read as a fall in deaths. The society says its projections should not be used to track trends from year to year.

Figures: [42,140 (American Cancer Society, 2026)](#us-deaths-women-2026), [43,402 (CDC U.S. Cancer Statistics, 2024)](#us-deaths-women-2024)

### UK survival: almost 90%, 87.7% or 76.6%?

- Survival figures differ by place (UK, England, or England and Wales), by the years people were diagnosed, and by how long they are followed.
- Cancer Research UK's 87.7% is five-year net survival for women diagnosed in England in 2015–2019. Its rounded 'almost 90%' for UK women uses England and Wales data. The 76.6% is a predicted ten-year figure for women diagnosed in 2018.
- Net survival removes deaths from other causes, so it estimates survival from the cancer itself.
- Stage-by-stage figures are published for England only.

Figures: [87.7% (Cancer Research UK, Diagnosed 2015–2019)](#england-survival-5yr), [76.6% (Cancer Research UK, Diagnosed 2018)](#uk-survival-10yr), [almost 100% (Cancer Research UK (from NHS England data), Diagnosed 2018–2022)](#england-survival-stage-1), [more than 30% (Cancer Research UK (from NHS England data), Diagnosed 2018–2022)](#england-survival-stage-4)

### Indonesia: 66,271 or 93,236 cases?

- Both are IARC estimates: 66,271 for 2022 and 93,236 for 2024. The Ministry of Health's 2026 guideline still quotes the 2022 edition.
- IARC's Indonesia figures are modelled, not counted. Its fact sheet says incidence is scaled from regional registry rates and deaths are modelled from incidence using survival data.
- Because each edition is built from different data and methods, we do not read the difference as a 41% rise in two years.

Figures: [66,271 (Indonesian Ministry of Health (citing GLOBOCAN 2022), 2022)](#id-cases-2022), [93,236 (WHO IARC (GLOBOCAN 2024), 2024)](#id-cases-2024)

### Survival by income: 41.9%, about 42% or below 45%?

- WHO's first global survival estimates, published in July 2026, give the median five-year net survival of the countries in each income group, for women diagnosed in 2017–2021: 41.9% in low-income and 87.3% in high-income countries.
- WHO and IARC press material rounds these to about 42% and 87%, and the Global status report on cancer 2026 describes survival as below 45% and above 85%. They are the same estimates, rounded.
- Older WHO material compared single countries from earlier studies. Those figures are not comparable with the 2026 estimates.

Figures: [41.9% (World Health Organization, Diagnosed 2017–2021)](#global-survival-low-income), [87.3% (World Health Organization, Diagnosed 2017–2021)](#global-survival-high-income), [77.8% (World Health Organization, Diagnosed 2017–2021)](#global-survival-median)

## At what age does breast screening start?

Most organised breast screening programmes invite women from 50, every two or three years. The UK nations invite women from 50 to 70 every three years, and the US recommends a mammogram every two years from 40 to 74. Our table compares who is invited, at what age, how often and with which test.

[Compare screening ages, intervals and tests in 25 countries →](https://breastcancer-charity.org/breast-screening-by-country/)

## How was this data snapshot made?

- We used the headline figures published by WHO and its cancer agency IARC (global and Indonesia), Indonesia's Ministry of Health, Cancer Research UK and NHS England (UK), and the American Cancer Society, NCI SEER and the CDC (US).
- We copied each value as published, with the year it describes, who it covers and whether it is an estimate, a projection, a registry count or a survival figure. We did not adjust or recalculate figures. The one sum, US invasive plus DCIS cases, is labelled.
- We opened every source page and recorded the date we checked it. Where well-known sources disagree, we kept both and explain the difference.
- IARC's Global Cancer Observatory could not be reached from our network on the check date. We read the same two fact sheets through Internet Archive captures from October 2026 and checked the world totals against WHO's live fact sheet.
- The snapshot has a version number (2026.10). When sources update, we publish a new version rather than quietly changing this one.

Figures were checked between 22 October 2026 and 22 October 2026. If a source updates its numbers, we publish a new snapshot with a new version number rather than editing this one silently. Report an error on our [corrections page](https://breastcancer-charity.org/corrections/).

## What this data cannot tell you

- Global and Indonesian figures are model estimates, not counts. Many countries have no national cancer registry, so IARC estimates their numbers from partial data.
- US figures for 2026 are projections made before the year began, not counts of people diagnosed in 2026.
- UK counts describe earlier years, because cancer registration takes time. Stage-by-stage survival is published for England only.
- Survival percentages describe large groups of people diagnosed years ago. They cannot tell you what will happen to one person, and treatment has improved since.
- Countries count in different years with different registries and methods. To compare countries, use age-standardised rates rather than raw counts.
- Most figures are for women. Breast cancer in men is much rarer, and most sources count it separately.
- This is a compilation by Breast Cancer Charity, not an official statistic. Cite the original source as well as this page.

For what a diagnosis means for you, talk to your care team. Our guides explain [stages](https://breastcancer-charity.org/about-breast-cancer/breast-cancer-stages/) and [survival statistics](https://breastcancer-charity.org/about-breast-cancer/breast-cancer-survival-statistics/) in plain English, and [breast cancer support](https://breastcancer-charity.org/breast-cancer-support/) lists free helplines.

## Download and cite this data

[Download CSV (54 figures)](https://breastcancer-charity.org/data/breast-cancer-statistics-2026.csv) [Download JSON (with notes)](https://breastcancer-charity.org/data/breast-cancer-statistics-2026.json) [All open datasets](https://breastcancer-charity.org/open-data/)

Licence: [Creative Commons Attribution 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). You can reuse the table with credit. Please also cite the original source named in each row, and give the year each figure describes.

Suggested citation Breast Cancer Charity (2026). Breast cancer statistics 2026: global, UK, US and Indonesia. Data snapshot 2026.10, published 22 October 2026. https://breastcancer-charity.org/breast-cancer-statistics-2026/

Suggested wording About 2.43 million people were diagnosed with breast cancer worldwide in 2024, according to IARC's GLOBOCAN 2024 estimates (compiled by Breast Cancer Charity, October 2026).

Journalists can reach us through the [press page](https://breastcancer-charity.org/press/).

## Questions about these statistics

## Breast cancer statistics: common questions

How many people get breast cancer worldwide each year? IARC estimates 2.43 million new breast cancer cases and 693,660 deaths worldwide in 2024 (GLOBOCAN 2024, published July 2026). WHO rounds these to 2.4 million women and 694,000 deaths. How many women get breast cancer in the US in 2026? The American Cancer Society projects 321,910 new invasive breast cancers in US women in 2026, plus 60,730 cases of DCIS: 382,640 in total. It also projects 2,670 cases in men and 42,140 deaths in women. How many people get breast cancer in the UK each year? Cancer Research UK reports 59,413 new cases a year in the UK (average of 2019, 2021 and 2022): around 59,000 in women and 420 in men. About 11,200 people die from breast cancer each year (2022–2024). What is the breast cancer survival rate by stage? In England, for women diagnosed in 2018–2022, five-year net survival is almost 100% at stage 1, 90% at stage 2, around 75% at stage 3 and more than 30% at stage 4 (Cancer Research UK, from NHS England data). In the US, SEER reports 100.0% for localized, 87.5% for regional and 33.8% for distant (metastatic) cancer, for 2016–2022. Will breast cancer cases rise by 2050? IARC projects 3.2 million new cases and 1.1 million deaths a year worldwide by 2050, rises of 38% and 68% on 2022. It estimates that about 1 in 20 women worldwide will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. Can I reuse these statistics? Yes. The table is free to reuse under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0. Please credit Breast Cancer Charity, name the original source given in each row and give the year the figure describes.