Breast Cancer
Global mortality data, country rankings, and trends for Breast Cancer from 1990 to 2021.
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Breast Cancer is a significant contributor to the global burden of disease. This page presents data from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) Global Burden of Disease Study, showing mortality trends, country rankings, and regional patterns. Understanding the epidemiology of breast cancer helps inform public health interventions and resource allocation.
This data is sourced from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) Global Burden of Disease Study 2023, processed via Our World in Data. All rates are age-standardized per 100,000 population unless otherwise noted. Explore related mortality data using the links below.
Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide and the leading cause of cancer death in women, claiming approximately 685,000 lives annually. Incidence is highest in high-income countries (due to screening detection, reproductive patterns, and lifestyle factors), but mortality is disproportionately concentrated in low- and middle-income countries where late-stage diagnosis and limited treatment access prevail. Hormonal factors — early menarche, late menopause, nulliparity, and exogenous hormone use — increase risk, as do obesity, alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, and genetic predisposition (BRCA1/BRCA2 mutations). Molecular subtypes (luminal A/B, HER2-positive, triple-negative) have distinct prognoses and treatment implications. Five-year survival exceeds 90% for early-stage disease in well-resourced settings but falls below 40% in countries lacking diagnostic and treatment capacity. The global disparity in breast cancer outcomes represents one of the starkest inequities in cancer care.
Mammographic screening detects breast cancer at earlier, more treatable stages and reduces mortality by approximately 20% in screened populations. Risk reduction includes maintaining a healthy weight, limiting alcohol intake, and regular physical activity. Chemoprevention with tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitors is an option for high-risk women. Surgical treatment, radiation therapy, endocrine therapy, and targeted therapies (trastuzumab for HER2-positive disease) have improved survival dramatically. The WHO Global Breast Cancer Initiative aims to reduce global breast cancer mortality by 2.5% per year through improved early detection and treatment access.