Breast Cancer
23 January 2026
Introduction
Breast cancer was the commonest cancer among females in Hong Kong. It accounted for 28.9% of all new cancers in females diagnosed in Hong Kong in 2023. Males can also get breast cancer though it is rare. In 2023, there were 18 new cases of breast cancer in males.
Incidence
In 2023, 5 585 new cases of female breast cancer were diagnosed. The crude incidence rate of female breast cancer was 136.2 per 100 000 female population. The age-standardised incidence rate* of female breast cancer was 75.0 per 100 000 standard population.
Number of new cases and crude incidence rate of breast cancer in females, 1983 to 2000 （View）
Number of new cases and crude incidence rate of breast cancer in females, 2001 to 2023 （View）
Mortality
Breast cancer was the third leading cause of cancer deaths among females in Hong Kong, after lung and colorectal cancers. In 2024, a total of 848 women died from this cancer, accounting for 13.1% of all cancer deaths in females. The crude death rate of female breast cancer was 20.7 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 to 2000 （View）
Number of registered deaths and crude death rate of breast cancer in females, 2001 to 2024 （View）
Trends of incidence and mortality
The age-standardised incidence rate of female breast cancer had an upward trend over the past 41 years (average annual percentage change (AAPC)# between 1983 and 2023: 2.0%) and over the past 10 years (AAPC between 2014 and 2023: 2.4%).
The age-standardised death rate of female breast cancer had no significant trend over the past 44 years, while an upward trend over the past 10 years (AAPC between 2015 and 2024: 0.4%).
Age-standardised incidence and death rates of breast cancer in females, 1981 to 2024
| Notes : | 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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| * | Age-standardised incidence / death 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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| Sources : | Census and Statistics Department Department of Health Hong Kong Cancer Registry, Hospital Authority |
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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.