The Latest Facts and Stats about Breast Cancer in Canada

• In 2007, an estimated 22,300 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer and 5,300 will die of it. *
• On average. breast cancer steals the lives of 102 Canadians every week. †
• Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in Canadian women, accounting for an estimated 30% of all cancer cases. ‡
  
• On average, 429 Canadian woman will be diagnosed with breast cancer every week. †
• Breast cancer deaths comprise the second highest cancer death rate, after lung cancer, among Canadian women. ‡
• Over 99% of breast cancer is found in women. *
• An estimated 170 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007, and 50 will die from it. *
• One in nine Canadian women will develop breast cancer at some point during her lifetime and one in twenty-seven will die of it. *
• According to the Breast Cancer Society of Canada 70% of women diagnosed with breast cancer have no known risk factors. †
• According to the Breast Cancer Society of Canada the cause of breast cancer is unknown and it cannot be prevented. †
  
  * Canadian Cancer Society: Suite 200, 10 Alcorn Avenue, Toronto, ON, Canada, M4V 3B1.
  † Breast Cancer Society of Canada: 118 Victoria St. North, Sarnia, ON, Canada, N7T 5W9.
  ‡ Canadian Cancer Society/National Cancer Institute of Canada: Canadian Cancer Statistics 2007, Toronto, Canada, 2007.

Facts and Stats about Abortion in Canada

Abortion was legalized in Canada in 1969 but abortions were only allowed with the approval of a therapeutic abortion committee and could only be performed in hospitals. Since 1988, abortion can be performed in hospitals or clinics and there is no restriction or approval required. All hospital abortions in Canada are paid for by taxpayers through the publicly funded health care system. In B.C., Alberta and Ontario, all abortions at private, for profit clinics are also paid for by taxpayers. In the other provinces, except New Brunswick, taxpayers pay some portion of clinic abortions.

We know that the number of breast cancer cases has risen every year and this rise is paralleled by the increasing numbers for induced abortions reported each year by Statistics Canada. Abortions increased from 69,499 in 1984 to 100,039 in 2004. The number of new breast cancer cases reported for the first time nationally in 1984 was 10,321 and rose to 21,200 in 2004.

Most abortions are done in the first trimester when the breast cells are the most unstable and 49% are done on women who have no prior pregnancy so that they are without the protection of a full term pregnancy.

Repeat abortions in 2004 accounted for 30% of all abortions. Some of the research shows that multiple abortions elevate the already higher risk of developing breast cancer.

Over half of all abortions are among women between the ages of 20 and 30. It is a known fact that delaying child bearing until after age 30 increases the risk of developing breast cancer substantially.