The survival rates for breast cancer are quite good, especially when the cancer is caught early. Early-stage breast cancer has a good prognosis. Many people are cured. Even when a cure isn't possible, treatments often can slow the cancer's growth and extend your life.
People diagnosed with cancer often want to know the survival rates. Some people find these numbers helpful because they offer a general sense of what to expect and help put the diagnosis in perspective. Others don't find the survival rates helpful. The statistics may feel confusing, discouraging or overwhelming.
Survival statistics can provide general information about the seriousness of the situation, but they can't predict what will happen in any one person. These statistics include thousands of people with breast cancer, including people of different ages, with different health conditions and with different treatment histories.
Keep in mind that your healthcare team uses much more detailed information when talking with you about your individual prognosis and treatment options.
Survival statistics
The U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI) tracks cancer survival rates in the United States. NCI breaks down the rates by how far the cancer has spread, rather than by stage.
- Localized cancer, which means the cancer is only in the breast, has a five-year relative survival rate of 100%.
- Regional cancer, which means the cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes, has a five-year relative survival rate of 88%.
- Distant cancer, which means the cancer has spread to other parts of the body, has a five-year relative survival rate of 34%.
These are the survival rates for breast cancer in general. Survival rates vary depending on whether the cancer cells have hormone receptors or make extra HER2. Your own chances for survival depend greatly on the details of your cancer.
What affects prognosis
Cancer prognosis describes how likely it is that a cancer can be treated successfully or cured. Healthcare professionals estimate prognosis using information about the cancer and your overall health. To better understand your personal prognosis, talk with your healthcare team. Your team can explain the factors that affect your situation.
Things that can affect the prognosis for breast cancer include:
- Age at diagnosis. Breast cancer that happens in younger people, such as those 35 and younger, tends to grow more quickly. Breast cancer diagnosed at a later age tends to have a better prognosis.
- Cancer grade. Grades 1 and 2 cancers tend to grow more slowly and have a better prognosis than grade 3 cancers.
- HER2 status. Cancer cells that make extra HER2 tend to grow faster. But there are many treatments that target HER2. Because treatment is so effective, having a HER2 positive breast cancer gives a better prognosis.
- Hormone receptor status. Cancer cells that don't have receptors for the hormones estrogen and progesterone have fewer treatment options because these cancers don't respond to estrogen blocker therapy. If the cancer is hormone receptor positive, the prognosis is better. Researchers are studying new treatment options for hormone receptor negative cancers.
- The size of the cancer in the breast. A small cancer may be easier to remove completely and have a lower risk of spreading, so it has a better prognosis.
- Whether the lymph nodes contain cancer. Cancer that spreads to the lymph nodes has a higher risk of spreading to other parts of the body. If the cancer hasn't spread to the lymph nodes, the prognosis is better.
What you can do
After breast cancer treatment, healthcare professionals generally recommend making healthy choices that are good for anyone who wants improved health: Eat a balanced diet, exercise, maintain a weight that's healthy for you and limit the amount of alcohol you drink. For people with breast cancer, these healthy choices also might lower the risk of recurrent breast cancer.
Try to:
- Avoid alcohol. Research links drinking alcohol to a higher risk of breast cancer, but it's not clear whether alcohol raises the risk of the cancer coming back. If you choose to drink alcohol, limit how often you drink and keep the amount small. For overall health, drink one or fewer drinks a day. Do not drink every day. The less you drink, the better.
- Follow a healthy diet. Choose a diet that's rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Limit how much red meat, processed meat and sugar you eat.
- Stay active. Aim to exercise most days of the week. If you don't exercise regularly, ask your healthcare professional if it's safe for you to start exercising. Start with short sessions of an activity you enjoy. Build up the amount of exercise over time.
- Strive for a healthy weight. Ask your healthcare professional what weight is healthy for you. If your weight is healthy, work to maintain it. If you need to lose weight, aim to do so slowly. Start by making healthy choices, such as eating fewer calories, moving more and sitting less.
Talk with your healthcare team about other things you can do to lower your risk of recurrence. Also follow your care team's advice on follow-up exams and tests after you finish cancer treatment.
Sept. 01, 2026