Breast Cancer – Epidemiological Data
The Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women worldwide and is the second leading cause of death from malignancy, after lung cancer. The disease occurs almost exclusively in women, however, approximately 1% of cases involve men.
What is breast cancer?
Breast cancer begins when some cells in the breast begin to multiply uncontrollably and create a volume. The malignant cells They can spread to the lymph nodes in the armpit or to distant organs, such as the lungs, liver and bones, causing metastases.
Detection of the disease is usually done through mammography, ultrasound or with clinical palpation of the breast.
How common is breast cancer?
The lifetime risk of developing breast cancer in a woman is calculated as 12,4% – that is 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer at some point in her life.
- The 20% of cases it's about women under 50 years old
- The 36% recorded in the age group 50-64 years old
Although breast cancer is common, the likelihood of a woman to die from the disease it is now 1 in 38 (2.6%), thanks to improving the prognosis in recent decades.
Why has prognosis improved?
Improved survival for breast cancer patients is mainly due to:
- Στην Early diagnosis through regular screening
- Στην Public awareness
- In the advanced treatments now available
Global and Greek statistics
- More than are diagnosed each year 1.6 million new cases breast cancer worldwide
- Approximately 450,000 of these are recorded in Europe
- In Greece, in 2022 alone, approximately 9,000 new cases, which correspond to 31% of all cancers in women
Breast cancer does not discriminate — it affects women of all ages and from all social and economic backgrounds. Knowledge, prevention, and early diagnosis save lives.
Learn more at breastaware.gr
At breastaware.gr you will find reliable and easy-to-understand information about breast cancer, prevention, diagnosis, and available treatments. Stay informed, protect yourself, and the women you love.
Sources:
- IHE Cancer Dashboard for Greece (2024)
- Global Cancer Observatory – GLOBOCAN (2022)
- EU Country Cancer Profile: Greece 2025 – OECD & European Commission
- Global Cancer Facts & Figures (2024)
- Transcultural Adaptation of the Breast Cancer Awareness Measure (2023)
- WHO Country Profile: Greece (2020)
- Eurostat – Cancer Statistics (2021)
