Breast Cancer
12 January 2024
Introduction
Breast cancer was the commonest cancer among females in Hong Kong. It accounted for 28.5% of all new cancers in females diagnosed in Hong Kong in 2021. It rarely occurred in males. In 2021, there were 27 new cases of breast cancer in males.
Incidence
In 2021, 5565 new cases of female breast cancer were diagnosed. The crude incidence rate of female breast cancer was 138.1 per 100 000 female population. The age-standardised incidence rate* of female breast cancer was 79.6 per 100 000 standard population.
Number of new cases and crude incidence rate of breast cancer in females, 1983-2000 （View）
Number of new cases and crude incidence rate of breast cancer in females, 2001-2021 （View）
Mortality
Breast cancer was the third leading cause of cancer deaths among females in Hong Kong, after lung and colorectal cancers. In 2022, a total of 792 women died from this cancer, accounting for 12.5% of all cancer deaths in females. The crude death rate of female breast cancer was 19.8 per 100 000 female population. The age-standardised death rate* of female breast cancer was 9.8 per 100 000 standard population.
Number of registered deaths and crude death rate of breast cancer in females, 1981-2000 （View）
Number of registered deaths and crude death rate of breast cancer in females, 2001-2022 （View）
Trends of incidence and mortality
The age-standardised incidence rate of female breast cancer had an upward trend over the past 39 years (average annual percentage change (AAPC)# between 1983 and 2021: 2.0%) and over the past 10 years (AAPC between 2012 and 2021: 2.5%).
The age-standardised death rate of female breast cancer had no significant trend over the past 42 years, while an upward trend was observed over the past 10 years (AAPC between 2013 and 2022: 0.6%).
Age-standardised incidence and death rates of breast cancer in females, 1981-2022
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Notes: |
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Age-standardised rates are compiled based on the world standard population specified in GPE Discussion Paper Series: No.31, EIP/GPE/EBD, World Health Organization, 2001. |
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# |
AAPC of age-standardised incidence / death rates is a summary measure of the trends in the age-standardised incidence / death rates over a specified interval estimated from joinpoint regression. |
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Data in the above charts from 1996 onwards are compiled based on the population estimates under the "resident population" approach instead of the "extended de facto" approach. |
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Classification of diseases and causes of death is based on the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD) 10th Revision from 2001 onwards. Figures from 2001 onwards may not be comparable with figures for previous years which were compiled based on the ICD 9th Revision. |
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Sources: |
Census and Statistics Department |
Breast cancer corresponds to codes 174-175 in ICD-9 and C50 in ICD-10.
For more information about cancer statistics in Hong Kong, please visit the website of the Hong Kong Cancer Registry.
For health information relating to cancer, please visit the Cancer Online Resource Hub.