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ATLANTA, — This October, the
American Cancer Society (ACS) commemorates the 40th anniversary of
the founding of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. In 1985, ACS co-led
the effort to start Breast Cancer Awareness Month as a week-long
campaign to educate women about the importance of early screening
and routine mammograms for breast cancer detection and treatment. In
2025, more than 316,000 women are expected to be diagnosed with
invasive breast cancer in the United States, making the efforts of
the awareness month increasingly important.
According to the ACS’s Cancer Facts & Figures 2025 report,
approximately 1 in 8 women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with
invasive breast cancer during their lifetime, and 1 in 43 will die
from the disease. However, there has been tremendous progress; ACS
researchers project that by 2035, the number of breast cancer
survivors will reach 5.3 million. Today, ACS encourages everyone to
turn awareness into action in the continued mission of ending breast
cancer as we know it. To combat the disease and support both
individuals and their families going through a diagnosis, ACS funds
research that advances prevention and treatment efforts, advocates
for equitable access to care, and provides programs, services, and
science-based cancer information, helping to ensure that no one
faces breast cancer—or any cancer—alone.
“As we look back at 40 years of breast
cancer awareness, the number 40 is significant. Breast cancer
mortality is down more than 40% and 40 is when women should start
having a conversation with their doctor about getting a mammogram,”
said Dr. Arif Kamal, chief patient officer at the American Cancer
Society. "ACS is proud to have played a significant role in the
advancement of breast cancer research and the development of
innovative patient support tools.”
For the past four decades, ACS researchers and scientists have been
an integral part of breast cancer therapy breakthroughs:
1980s-1990
BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are discovered, and the FDA approves the drug
Herceptin
2000s
Breast cancer stem cells are identified
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2010s
Triple-negative breast cancer immunotherapy approved
2020s
mRNA-based breast cancer vaccines show promise, and liquid biopsies
projected to expand
Despite these breakthroughs and
advances in early detection and treatment, alarming disparities
remain for Asian American, Native American, Pacific Islander, and
Black women. In 2024, ACS launched the VOICES of Black Women study
to address these ongoing cancer disparities and to better understand
cancer risk and outcomes.
“Due in part to the work of the American Cancer Society, 3 in 4
women are now up to date on screening, which is the greatest reason
mortality has reduced,” said Kamal. “But 1 in 4 are not up to date,
and we need to close that gap. That’s why this October, we’re
encouraging everyone to do more than wear pink, to go beyond ribbons
and awareness, to take action. Because every action counts.”
Learn more and ways to take action at
www.cancer.org/BreastCancerAction.
About the American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society is a leading cancer-fighting
organization with a vision to end cancer as we know it, for
everyone. For more than 110 years, we have been improving the lives
of people with cancer and their families as the only organization
combating cancer through advocacy, research, and patient support. We
are committed to ensuring everyone has an opportunity to prevent,
detect, treat, and survive cancer. To learn more, visit cancer.org
or call our 24/7 helpline at 1-800-227-2345.
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