Who dies of breast cancer?
In the median of the 36 countries that publish causes of death by age, 3.2% of women eventually die of breast cancer. It is the most likely cause of death in 118 of their 1,152 country, sex and age groups.
The risk by age
Chance of dying of breast cancer within 10 years, and its share of all the risk at that age — the median of 36 countries. Your own country's numbers are one click away on its page.
| Age | women |
|---|---|
| 15–19 | <0.01% (0.68% of the risk) |
| 20–24 | <0.01% (3.1% of the risk) |
| 25–29 | 0.03% (7.3% of the risk) |
| 30–34 | 0.06% (11% of the risk) |
| 35–39 | 0.11% (12% of the risk) |
| 40–44 | 0.18% (12% of the risk) |
| 45–49 | 0.27% (11% of the risk) |
| 50–54 | 0.36% (9.5% of the risk) |
| 55–59 | 0.44% (7.5% of the risk) |
| 60–64 | 0.56% (5.8% of the risk) |
| 65–69 | 0.70% (4.8% of the risk) |
| 70–74 | 0.94% (3.8% of the risk) |
| 75–79 | 1.2% (2.9% of the risk) |
| 80–84 | 1.3% (2.1% of the risk) |
| 85–89 | 1.3% (1.6% of the risk) |
| 90–94 | 1.3% (1.4% of the risk) |
Where it's the most likely cause of death
- Women 25–29: Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Malta, Portugal
- Women 30–34: Austria, Croatia, Cyprus, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy and 6 more
- Women 35–39: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany and 15 more
- Women 40–44: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, France and 19 more
- Women 45–49: Austria, Belgium, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Finland and 21 more
- Women 50–54: Cyprus, Czechia, Finland, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg and 6 more
- Women 55–59: Cyprus, Malta, Portugal
- Women 60–64: Cyprus, Portugal
Lifetime chance, women: highest and lowest countries
What changes the odds
- People with obesity (a BMI of 30 or more): about 1.4 times as often as people of healthy weight.
- In large cohort studies, people who smoke died of it about 1.3 times as often as people who never smoked (Carter 2015).
- Heavy drinkers: about 1.3 times as often as people who don't drink.
Weight, exercise, alcohol and diet at age 55, from the published studies behind Odainn's personal numbers — methodology.
What you can do
- Go to breast screening when you're invited.
- Know what's normal for your breasts, and get any change checked.
- Keep alcohol low, stay active, and keep a healthy weight after the menopause.
- If close relatives had breast or ovarian cancer, ask about a family-risk check.
Act fast: A new lump, a change in shape or skin, or discharge from a nipple: see a doctor.
Sources: EU Council Recommendation on cancer screening (2022); NHS: Breast cancer in women — symptoms; IARC: alcohol consumption and cancer. General guidance, not medical advice.
Screening for breast cancer, by country
Programmes start at 40 in Iceland, Sweden, Türkiye and the United States, at 45 in 11 countries, at 49 in Belarus and Croatia, and at 50 in the other 18. Below, each national programme's ages and intervals — the same ones Odainn uses for members' check-ups.
| Country | Who and how often |
|---|---|
| Iceland | Every 2 years at 40–69, every 3 years at 70–74 — you're invitedIceland's breast screening (island.is): all women 40–74 |
| Sweden | Every 18–24 months, ages 40–74Swedish national mammography screening (40–74) |
| Türkiye | Mammogram every 2 years, ages 40–69 — free at your family health centre or a KETEMTurkish Ministry of Health national cancer screening programmes: breast 40–69 |
| United States | Every 2 years, ages 40–74USPSTF: Breast cancer — screening (2024, grade B) |
| Austria | Every 2 years, ages 45–74 (from 40, or after 74, on request)Österreichisches Brustkrebs-Früherkennungsprogramm (45–74 since 2023) |
| Bulgaria | Mammogram every 2 years at 45–69, every 3 years from 70 — in your free yearly preventive check-up (NZOK)Bulgarian Ordinance No. 8 (2016) on preventive examinations, as amended to 2026 |
| Cyprus | Mammogram every 2 years, ages 45–74 — free in the national programmeCyprus Ministry of Health: National Population Screening Programme for Breast Cancer (45–74, every 2 years) |
| Czechia | Every 2 years from 45 (no upper age limit)Czech breast screening programme (from 45) |
| Greece | Mammogram, ages 45–74 — free in the national programme ΠρολαμβάνωEuropean Commission (Recovery and Resilience Facility): Προλαμβάνω breast screening for women 45–74 |
| Hungary | Every 2 years, ages 45–65NNGYK breast screening (45–65) |
| Lithuania | Every 2 years, ages 45–74Lithuanian breast screening programme (45–74 since 2025) |
| Luxembourg | Every 2 years, ages 45–74Programme Mammographie (45–74 since July 2024) |
| Poland | Every 2 years, ages 45–74NFZ breast cancer screening programme (45–74 since November 2023) |
| Portugal | Every 2 years, ages 45–74DGS standard 12/2024: breast screening 45–74 |
| Slovakia | Every 2 years, ages 45–74Slovak breast screening (45–74) |
| Belarus | Every 3 years, ages 49–58 — in the free dispensary check (диспансеризация) at your polyclinicBelarus Ministry of Health Resolution No. 173 (2024), dispensary check of adults |
| Croatia | Every 2 years, ages 49–70HZJZ national breast screening (49–70) |
| Belgium | Every 2 years, ages 50–69Regional breast screening programmes (Mammotest), 50–69 |
| Canada | Every 2–3 years, ages 50–74 (from 40 on request in several provinces)CTFPHC: Breast cancer screening (2024) |
| Denmark | Every 2 years, ages 50–69Danish breast cancer screening (Sundhedsstyrelsen) |
| Estonia | Every 2 years, ages 50–74Tervisekassa breast screening (50–74) |
| Finland | About every 2 years, ages 50–69Finnish breast cancer screening (50–69) |
| France | Every 2 years, ages 50–74Dépistage organisé du cancer du sein (Assurance maladie) |
| Germany | Every 2 years, ages 50–75German mammography screening programme (to 75 since July 2024) |
| Ireland | Every 2 years, ages 50–69HSE BreastCheck (50–69) |
| Italy | Every 2 years, ages 50–69 (some regions 45–74)LEA: breast screening 50–69 |
| Latvia | Every 2 years, ages 50–69NVD breast screening (invitations every 2 years from 50) |
| Malta | Mammogram, ages 50–69 — free at the National Screening Centre (call 2122 7470 if you weren't invited)Malta National Screening Centre: breast screening 50–69 |
| Netherlands | Every 2 years, ages 50–75RIVM bevolkingsonderzoek borstkanker (50–75) |
| Norway | Every 2 years, ages 50–69Mammografiprogrammet (50–69) |
| Serbia | Mammogram, ages 50–69 — free in the national screening programmeSerbia's organised breast screening (Batut Institute): women 50–69 |
| Slovenia | Every 2 years, ages 50–69 (programme DORA)Program DORA (50–69) |
| Spain | Every 2 years, ages 50–69 (some regions 45–74)SNS common portfolio: breast screening 50–69 |
| Switzerland | Every 2 years from 50, through your canton's programme (most invite to 74)KLV Art. 12e: mammography every 2 years from 50 in cantonal programmes |
| United Kingdom | Every 3 years, ages 50–71 (first invitation by 53)NHS Breast Screening Programme |
For the other 2 countries we cover, Odainn follows the EU's 2022 recommendation and European guidelines: every 2 years, ages 50–69 (45–74 in some countries).
Members see which checks are due for themselves and their family, following each person's own country — sources and dates.
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Related: Lung cancer · Colorectal cancer · Prostate cancer · Pancreatic cancer · Oesophageal cancer · Stomach cancer · Liver cancer · Cervical cancer · Uterine & ovarian cancer · Leukaemia & lymphoma · Brain cancer · Melanoma (skin cancer) · Kidney cancer · Bladder cancer · Mouth, throat & larynx cancer · Other cancers
Questions
- At what age is breast cancer most likely to be the cause of death?
- For women, breast cancer takes its largest share of deaths at 40–44: 12% of the risk of dying in the next 10 years, in the median of the 36 countries that publish causes of death by age.
- Which country has the highest risk of dying of breast cancer?
- Of the 36 countries that publish causes of death by age, Denmark has the highest lifetime chance of dying of breast cancer for women (4.0%), and Türkiye the lowest (1.4%).
- What raises the risk of dying of breast cancer?
- People with obesity (a BMI of 30 or more): about 1.4 times as often as people of healthy weight. In large cohort studies, people who smoke died of it about 1.3 times as often as people who never smoked (Carter 2015). Heavy drinkers: about 1.3 times as often as people who don't drink.
- At what age does screening for breast cancer start?
- Programmes start at 40 in Iceland, Sweden, Türkiye and the United States, at 45 in 11 countries, at 49 in Belarus and Croatia, and at 50 in the other 18. For the other 2 countries we cover, Odainn follows the EU's 2022 recommendation and European guidelines: every 2 years, ages 50–69 (45–74 in some countries).
Computed by Odainn from official mortality statistics (Eurostat; ONS, NRS and NISRA; CDC; Statistics Canada) for 36 countries, latest years — how we calculate. Belarus is left out: deaths by cause and age aren't published together there, so the split by cause is our estimate. Population statistics, not a prediction for any individual. Educational, not medical advice.