Breast Cancer Misdiagnosis Statistics in Light of Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month—a period that recognizes the struggles of breast cancer survivors and raises awareness for annual campaigns organized by breast cancer charities. This October, in light of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, our firm is raising awareness by acknowledging the severity of a breast cancer misdiagnosis. 

Below, our team outlines startling breast cancer, and breast cancer misdiagnosis, statistics to demonstrate the seriousness of this issue in our nation and how it impacts women throughout the country. We share these findings with the hopes to acknowledge the struggles of breast cancer victims whose misdiagnosis caused their cancer to worsen, as well as provide legal avenues for victims to seek the compensation they deserve.

Breast Cancer Statistics

Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States that predominantly affects women, though it can impact some men. Below are several statistics that demonstrate the severity of breast cancer in the United States, according to breastcancer.org:

• 13% of women in the United States will develop invasive breast cancer in their lifetime. That is 1 in 8 women. 
• For women in the U.S., breast cancer death rates are higher than those of any other cancer, besides lung cancer.
• As of January 2021, there were more than 3.8 million women with breast cancer history in the United States.
• Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women in the United States.
• In 2021, breast cancer became the most common cancer globally.
• A woman’s odds of developing breast cancer nearly doubles if she has a first-degree relative—such as a sister, mother, or daughter—who has been diagnosed with breast cancer.
• About 85% of breast cancers occur in women who have no family history of breast cancer, due to genetic mutations rather than inherited mutations. 

Breast Cancer Misdiagnosis Statistics

An unsettling number of breast cancer misdiagnoses and diagnosis delays occur every year by medical professionals. While no doctor is perfect, a breast cancer misdiagnosis can result in the patient’s cancer worsening unnecessarily. Sometimes, a cancer diagnosis delay can result in the patient’s cancer progressing to a later stage—even becoming untreatable. If the patient had received an earlier diagnosis, their cancer may have been more easily treatable. Below are prominent cancer misdiagnosis statistics:

• According to a study involving 115 U.S. pathologists and 240 breast biopsy specimens, precancerous breast cells were only diagnosis properly in about one-half of cases. Around one-third of these cases were misdiagnosed as normal.
• Breast cancer overdiagnosis is estimated to be between 22 and 31 percent.
• 11% of mammograms yield a false-positive result, often leading to unnecessary chemotherapy and treatment.
• According to The Journal of the American Medical Association, misdiagnoses occur between 10% and 20% of cases of breast cancer.
• According to the American Cancer Society, 1 out of 5 breast cancers is not detected by mammograms. 

Contact SPBMCC Today if You Have Been Misdiagnosed with Breast Cancer

Misread mammograms and breast cancer diagnosis delays upend the lives of individuals who place their trust in medical professionals to properly detect their conditions. Our firm has a strong record of successful medical malpractice lawsuits and has recovered compensation for countless breast cancer misdiagnosis victims. If you or a loved one was misdiagnosed with breast cancer or received a delayed diagnosis, there are legal avenues you can take to recovering compensation. Call (212)-732-9000 to get in touch with a New York medical malpractice lawyer or fill out the form below.