Pink Hope

Mammograms can detect breast cancer early, possibly before it has spread. [6]

Breast cancer occurs in every country of the world in women at any age after puberty but with increasing rates in later life. [1]

In 2024, there were an estimated 2.4 million women diagnosed with breast cancer and 694 000 deaths globally (1). [1]

In countries with a very high Human Development Index (HDI), 1 in 12 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime and 1 in 71 women die of it. [1]

In countries with a low HDI, 1 in 27 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime and 1 in 48 women die from it. [1]

Breast cancer caused an estimated 694 000 deaths globally in 2024 and was the most common cancer in women in 164 countries out of 186 in the same year. [1]

Approximately 0.5–1% of breast cancers occur in men. [1]

Approximately 80% of breast cancers occur in women with no specific risk factors other than sex and age. [1]

Breast cancer is a disease in which abnormal cells in the breast grow out of control and form tumours. [1]

If left unchecked, the tumours can spread throughout the body and become fatal. [1]

Breast cancer cells begin inside the milk ducts and/or the milk-producing lobules of the breast. [1]

Cancer cells can spread into nearby breast tissue (invasion). This creates tumours that cause lumps or thickening. [1]

Invasive cancers can spread to nearby lymph nodes or other organs (metastasize). [1]

Treatment combines surgery, radiation therapy and medications. [1]

Despite these ongoing efforts, 70%–80% of breast cancer cases in Uganda continue to be diagnosed at advanced stages, with 5-year survival rates as low as 20% [17, 18]. [9]

Findings highlight that limited breast cancer awareness, misconceptions and sociodemographic disparities significantly affect women’s health-seeking behaviours for breast cancer in Uganda. [9]

‘Seeing someone survive breast cancer motivates women to seek early care’ (FGD participant). [9]