Breast Cancer
22 February 2023
Introduction
Breast cancer was the commonest cancer among females in Hong Kong. It accounted for 28.4% of all new cancers in females diagnosed in Hong Kong in 2020. It rarely occurred in males. In 2020, there were 32 new cases of breast cancer in males.
Incidence
In 2020, 4956 new cases of female breast cancer were diagnosed and the crude incidence rate was 121.9 per 100 000 female population. The age-standardised incidence rate* was 71.8 per 100 000 standard population.
Number of new cases and crude incidence rate of breast cancer in female, 1983-2000 （View）
Number of new cases and crude incidence rate of breast cancer in female, 2001-2020 （View）
Mortality
Breast cancer is the third leading cause of cancer deaths among females in Hong Kong, after lung and colorectal cancers. In 2021, a total of 791 women died from this cancer, accounting for 12.4% of all cancer deaths in females. The crude death rate of breast cancer was 19.6 per 100 000 female population. The age-standardised death rate* of breast cancer was 10.0 per 100 000 standard population.
Number of registered deaths and crude death rate of breast cancer in female, 1981-2000 （View）
Number of registered deaths and crude death rate of breast cancer in female, 2001-2021 （View）
Trends of incidence and mortality
The age-standardised incidence rate of female breast cancer had an upward trend over the past 38 years (average annual percentage change (AAPC)# between 1983 and 2020: 2.0%) and over the past 10 years (AAPC between 2011 and 2020: 2.4%).
The age-standardised death rate had no significant trend over the past 41 years, while an upward trend was observed over the past 10 years (AAPC between 2012 and 2021: 0.7%).
Age-standardised incidence and death rates of breast cancer in female, 1981-2021
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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. Also, the 2021 Population Census conducted from June to August 2021 provides a benchmark for revising the population figures complies since the 2016 Population By-census. Population-related figures from 2017 to 2020 have been revised accordingly. |
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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.