Occurrence of breast cancer in Australian women

No data are available on the incidence of breast cancer for the whole of Australia. Review of published incidence data from 1972 to 1978 from New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania shows that the incidence of breast cancer in women aged 25 years and over ranged between 97.8/100 000 and 106.5/100 000 of these women. These rates are similar to those in other countries with high rates. Comparison of mortality rates in Australian States between 1968 and 1978 for women aged 25 years and over showed rates from 28.3/100 000 in Victoria and 44.1/100 000 in the Australian Capital Territory. The rates for Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory were significantly higher than those in the other States. Trends in mortality in Australia for women aged 25 years and over were studied in the period from 1907 to 1977. Initially, the mortality rate was 28.5/100 000 and increased to reach a peak of 41.5/100 000 in 1940-1944. Thereafter, rates fell to 37.1/100 000 in 1960-1964, but have begun to rise again since 1970. The 1940-1944 peak was largely confined to women over the age of 50 years, and further analysis of the age-specific mortality rates showed the peak to be cross-sectional in type (that is, affecting each age group in the same calendar period). The rise after 1970 occurred mainly in women aged between 30 and 44 years and 60 and 79 years.