• About 1 in 8 U.S. women (about 12%) will develop breast cancer over the course of her lifetime. 

• In 2017, an estimated 316,120 new cases of breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in women in the U.S. 

• About 2,470 new cases of breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in men in 2017. A man’s lifetime risk of breast cancer is about 1 in 1,000. 

• Breast cancer incidence rates in the U.S. began decreasing, dropping by 7% from 2002 to 2003, after increasing for the previous two decades. One theory is that this decrease was partially due to the reduced use of hormone replacement therapy by women. 

• About 40,610 women in the U.S. are expected to die in 2017 from breast cancer, though death rates have been decreasing since 1989. Women under 50 have experienced larger decreases which are thought to be the result of treatment advances, earlier detection through screening, and increased awareness. 

• For women in the U.S., breast cancer death rates are higher than those for any other cancer, except for lung cancer. 

• After skin cancer, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among U.S. women. 

• In women under 45, breast cancer is more common in African-American women than white women. 

• As of March 2017, there are more than 3.1 million women with a history of breast cancer in the U.S. This includes women currently being treated and women who have already finished treatment. 

• A woman’s risk of breast cancer nearly doubles if she has a first-degree relative (mother, sister, daughter) who has been diagnosed with breast cancer. 

• About 85% of breast cancers occur in women who have no family history of breast cancer. These occur due to genetic mutations that happen as a result of the aging process and life in general, rather than inherited mutations. 

• The most significant risk factors for breast cancer are gender (being a woman) and age (growing older). 

1. Stop eating unhealthy foods! 

Diet is thought to be partly responsible for about 30% to 40% of all cancers. No food or diet can prevent you from getting breast cancer. But some foods can make your body the healthiest it can be, boost your immune system, and help keep your risk for breast cancer as low as possible.  

• Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables (more than 5 cups a day).  

• Limit your fat intake. Try to eat no more than 30 grams of fat per day and get no more than 10% of your calories from saturated fat.  

• Avoid processed meats and cold cuts and salt-cured, pickled, and smoked foods. They’re usually high in fat, salt, and other preservatives.   

• Choose lean cuts of meat, fish, and poultry. Trim fat from meat, poultry, and fish. Remove the skin from poultry and fish. 

• Bake or broil food. Decrease the calories in your food by baking or broiling it rather than frying.  

• Eat healthy snacks. Try organic baby carrots, bell pepper strips, orange sections, fat-free yogurt, or a handful of almonds. 

2. Stop smoking! 

• The American Cancer Society (ACS) has a quit smoking program. You can also call the ACS at 1-800-ACS-2345 to get support and free advice on how to stop smoking from trained counselors. 
   

• Medicines to help you quit can be taken as a pill, chewed as gum, or worn as a patch on the skin. Ask your doctor if one of these might be right for you. 
   

• It’s also easier if you have a friend who’s also quitting or who can cheer you on when you’re feeling you can’t make it on your own. 

3. Stop drinking alcohol: 

• If you want to do everything you can to lower your breast cancer risk, limiting how much alcohol you drink makes sense. You may choose to stop drinking alcohol completely. But if you plan to continue drinking, try to have two or fewer alcoholic drinks per week. 

• For most of us, drinking is social. But cutting back on alcohol doesn’t mean cutting back on seeing your friends and family. If you’re not sure if you can go to an event and not have a drink, keep your health in mind. Remember that you’re keeping your risk of breast and other cancers as low as possible.