Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Nations with the highest mortality rates and initiatives mitigating the disease

Among women, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer, constituting about 27% of all cancer cases and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths, causing at least 16% of all cancer deaths. According to the World Health Organization(WHO), roughly 2.4 million people were diagnosed with breast cancer and approximately 694,000 people died from the disease in 2024. The disease disproportionately impacts women in low-income nations, while healthcare aid is shrinking. Its severe health impacts make breast cancer a major global health problem requiring prevention and treatment initiatives.

Breast cancer initiatives are important mostly in low-income countries, where incidence rates are low, attributed to low screening and lifestyle factors, but the mortality rate is high. Health stakeholders are striving to reduce breast cancer deaths through programs for public awareness, early detection, diagnosis, and treatment. We explore the nations with the highest age-standardized breast cancer mortality rates and some initiatives improving early detection and treatment.

What is breast cancer?

WHO defines breast cancer as a disease occurring when abnormal cells in the breast grow uncontrollably and form tumors. The cells start in the milk-producing lobules of the breast and invade the breast tissue, creating tumors that cause thickening. If unchecked, the tumors spread to other parts of the body, including the lungs, brain, and bones, causing death. Early detection reduces the spread of the tumors, saving a woman’s life and giving hope to her family and community.

Why do low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) have higher breast cancer mortality rates?

Breast cancer is a global public health issue, but its burden is unevenly distributed between LMICs and high-income countries. While incidence is high in most high-income countries, LMICs face a greater proportion of breast cancer-related deaths. According to the World Health Organization, the five-year survival rate in high-income countries exceeds 90%, compared with approximately 66% in India and 40% in South Africa.

In sub-Saharan Africa, cases are detected in late stages, with roughly 26% already progressed to metastasis, decreasing the likelihood of successful treatment and survival.

Limited access to healthcare facilities, delayed diagnosis and treatment initiation, few trained medical staff, and financial constraints prevent women in LMICs from seeking lifesaving diagnosis and treatment in the initial stages of the disease. High costs also play a significant role, as women in LMICs have little or no control over household finances.

Nations with the highest breast cancer mortality rates in 2024

Globally, the age-standardized breast cancer mortality rate is about 12.9 per 100,000 women, according to GLOBOCAN 2024 data. The following nations have the highest rates:

Fiji

Fiji recorded approximately 37.5 deaths per 100,000 women, depicting a severe breast cancer mortality burden. In the upper-middle-income economy, localized disease prevalence, delay in initial presentation, limited health infrastructure, and geographic problems in obtaining oncology care are contributing factors to high ASR.

Jamaica

Jamaica recorded about 37.3 deaths per 100,000 women. In the Caribbean LMIC, the mortality rate is associated with late-stage presentation at diagnosis, a low rate of screening, the prevalence of breast cancer subtypes, and lifestyle factors.

Namibia

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among Namibian women and the leading cause of cancer deaths, with approximately 34.4 deaths per 100,000 women. Late-stage diagnosis and limited oncology treatment services are among the main contributing factors.

Nigeria

Nigeria recorded about 29.7 deaths per 100,000 women, according to GLOBOCAN 2024. Breast cancer incidence is surging in the West African country, with 80% of cases presented at advanced stages and a survival rate of less than 25%. Limited healthcare access, a lack of awareness, and cultural stigma contribute to late-stage diagnosis and poor survival.

Barbados

Breast cancer led to 26.7 deaths per 100,000 women in Barbados, a high-income country. Research in the Caribbean region indicates reduced mammography uptake and lack of a national screening initiative as challenges to early detection and treatment.

The Bahamas

The Bahamas reported approximately 26.1 deaths per 100,000 women. ze.In the Caribbean nation, the main risk factors for breast cancer are experiencing first menstrual cycles (menarche) at earlier ages and giving birth to few children.

Algeria

Breast cancer causes the most cancer-related deaths in Algeria, with approximately 25.5 deaths per 100,000 women. According to a recent study, obesity, radiation exposure, and a sedentary lifestyle are the main risk factors among breast cancer patients.

Togo

Togo, an LMIC with limited health infrastructure to diagnose and treat cancer, recorded 24.8 deaths per 100,000 women. According to a 2023 study, fear of diagnosis, limited breast self-examination, and initial self-medication are the primary factors causing late diagnosis among Togolese women.

Samoa

Breast cancer led to 24.7 deaths per 100,000 women, illustrating that breast cancer burden impacts communities in the Pacific region. Samoan women are at risk of breast cancer due to a high prevalence of primary risk factors like obesity, physical inactivity, overweight, alcohol, and smoking.

Syria

Syria reports 24.7 deaths per 100,000 according to GLOBOCAN 2024 data. Conflict-related displacement and forced migration are leaving millions of women living in Syria’s refugee camps and remote regions with limited access to breast cancer screening services and treatment. Also, shortages of diagnostic equipment, financial constraints, and cultural stigma are causing limited screening and detection of breast cancer.

Programs mitigating breast cancer mortality rate

EMPOWER Clinics (Kenya)

EMPOWER Clinics is a collaboration between Roche and public, private, and non-profit entities to solve system problems such as limited screening and access to medicines. The initiative has developed around 19 clinics in Kenya that offer integrated care for breast and cervical cancers, with at least 42,000 people screened.

The Union for International Cancer Control(UICC) Breast Cancer Initiative(Global)

Princess Dina Mired of Jordan initiated the program to strengthen and engage the global breast cancer community, aiming to reduce premature deaths due to breast cancer and improve quality of life. Since its 2020 launch, the program has trained about 3,118 healthcare staff, ensured clinical assessments for at least 117,864 women, and engaged more than 1,700 policymakers in advocacy.

Breast Care International initiative (BCI, Ghana)

Founded in 2002, the Ghana-based advocacy program partners with global bodies to reduce late-stage presentation of breast cancer. It provides free breast cancer education and screening in vulnerable communities, trains healthcare staff, and sponsors treatment of vulnerable patients. The initiative has provided at least 830,000 free screenings, funded over 12,000 outreach programs, and trained about 1,070 nurses.

Jordan Breast Cancer Program (JBCP)

The program aims to improve early detection, create awareness, and mitigate the impacts of breast cancer in Arab League nations. It has incorporated early detection at the primary healthcare level, ensuring timely diagnosis and treatment. In 2025, the program conducted over 44,000 mammography screenings, trained about 1,470 healthcare providers, and reached over 199,000 community members through awareness programs.

The Estée Lauder Companies’ breast cancer campaign(Global)

The campaign supports global breast cancer research, education, and medical services. Estée Lauder has committed at least US$182 million to the campaign, with at least US$146 million funding medical care through the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Final thoughts

Although few high-income nations have a high breast cancer mortality rate, women in low-income countries are disproportionately impacted due to financial constraints, cultural stigma, and geographic remoteness. Such challenges limit screening, diagnosis, and treatment. Reducing the mortality rate requires more funding for early diagnosis and treatment, mostly in LMICs. Sustainable funding for breast cancer programs will increase survival rates, strengthen healthcare infrastructure, and improve the health and well-being of women, as per SDG 3.