Health experts says they’re surprised by new data suggesting breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer in the world.

The National Cancer Institute reports breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in the world, with already more than 300,000 cases recorded globally so far this year.

According to a new Lancet report, global breast cancer diagnosis is also expected to rise to more than three million by 2040.

“About 80 per cent of all breast cancers has to do with an increased expression of oestrogen,” says Curtin University researcher Dr Pieter Eichhorn.

He says around 70 per cent of oestrogen receptor positive breast cancer is treatable.

“By far the most effective treatment for ER (oestrogen receptor) positive breast cancer is a drug called tamoxifen.”

Despite breast cancer affecting approximately one per cent of men, according to the World Health Organisation.

At 41, Miss Blake decided to start getting regular check-ups despite the government advising check-ups start at 50.

“I turned up thinking I was just starting the process of having routine screening and it turned out I had hormonal breast cancer.”

Emma Blake

Miss Blake says the biggest risk factor to getting breast cancer is being a woman.

Excessive drinking and obesity also increase your risk, according to Miss Blake.

But she says there are protective factors to reduce the risk of breast cancer, including having children before turning 30.

Dr Eichhorn says choosing to have children later in life significantly increases a woman’s risk of breast cancer, as hormonal changes occur.

“Women are waiting until their mid-30s to have kids,” he says.

“There is a correlation with having children later in life and breast cancer.”

With breast cancer affecting nearly half of the population at such a high level, Dr Eichhorn says the pharmaceutical industry needs to invest in creating a new drug to treat it.

“To bring a new breast cancer drug into the clinic costs about a billion dollars,” he says.

“It can’t come from the government.

“It has to come from industry.”

According to the Lancet report, prevention of breast cancer could dramatically increase if policy changes are made around obesity, alcohol consumption and physical activity. 

Dr Eichhorn agrees there is a link between breast cancer and diet but says implementing policy around these matters would be difficult.

Miss Blake says the government should promote mammogram tests to younger people.

“You definitely can have them from 40, but they don’t promote it,” she says.

“Starting at 50 is too late.”