The World Health Organization (WHO) says at least four women worldwide are diagnosed with breast cancer every minute.
In a newly published report, the organization said that in some countries with a low Human Development Index, one in every 48 women dies from the disease.
Ahead of World Breast Cancer Day, WHO said breast cancer rates vary from country to country according to their Human Development Index.
In countries with a “very high” Human Development Index, one in every 12 women will develop breast cancer during her lifetime, while one in every 71 will die from the disease, the organization added.
The report estimates that around 2.4 million women had breast cancer in 2024. More than 694,000 women died from the disease that year.
Medical research shows that women can develop breast cancer at any age, though it is more common after middle age.
Around 80 percent of breast cancer cases occur in women whose only known risk factors are their sex and age, the WHO report said. Other factors that can increase the risk include age, obesity, alcohol consumption, family history, exposure to radiation and reproductive history.
Breast cancer causes abnormal cells in the breast to grow uncontrollably and form tumours. If left unchecked, these tumours can spread throughout the body and become life-threatening.
Doctors say breast cancer is easier to control and treat when detected in its early stages.
Medical guidance recommends that women undergo the necessary breast cancer screening tests at regular intervals, depending on their age.
