Overall Breast Cancer Incidence Decreased From 1999 to 2018

The incidence of breast cancer decreased overall from 1999 to 2018, but incidence increased among women aged 20 to 39 years and for non-Hispanic Asian or Pacific Islander women, according to research published in the Jan. 14 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Taylor D. Ellington, M.P.H., from the CDC in Atlanta, and colleagues examined trends in breast cancer incidence among women aged 20 years or older by race/ethnicity and age using data from the U.S. Cancer Statistics for 1999 to 2018.

The researchers observed an overall average decrease of 0.3 percent per year in breast cancer incidence rates among women, with a decrease of 2.1 percent per year from 1999 to 2004 and a 0.3 percent increase per year during 2004 to 2018. Among non-Hispanic Asian or Pacific Islander women and women aged 20 to 39 years, incidence increased, while there was a decrease among non-Hispanic White women and those aged 50 to 64 years and 75 years or older.

"In this report, trends in breast cancer incidence differed by demographic characteristics, suggesting that breast cancer prevention and control programs be tailored to address state- or county-level incidence rates and help prevent health disparities," the authors write. "These findings suggest women aged 20 to 49 years might benefit from discussions with their health care providers about potential breast cancer risk and ways to reduce risk."