Breast cancer claimed the lives of 1,411 women in Michigan in 2024, with the state's death rate above the national average, according to federal health data.
Michigan recorded 19.5 breast cancer deaths per 100,000 women, compared with the national rate of 18.7, according to the report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Oct. 15, midway through Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
The figures reveal substantial differences in breast cancer mortality across the country, even as advances in screening and treatment have helped reduce death rates over the past several decades. At the same time, more women are being diagnosed with the disease.
Nationwide, 43,402 women died of breast cancer in 2024. The death rates are adjusted for age, allowing for fairer comparisons between states with older and younger populations. Rates ranged from a low of 14.4 in Rhode Island to a high of 24.1 in the District of Columbia.
In Michigan, 1,411 women died of breast cancer in 2024, according to an analysis of federal data by KFF, a nonprofit organization focused on health policy research, public opinion polling and health journalism.
That compares with 1,279 women who died in 2023, 1,391 in 2022 and 1,408 in 2021.
Nationally, 42,213 women died of breast cancer in 2023, compared with 42,211 in 2022 and 42,310 in 2021.
Although the number of deaths nationwide was higher in 2024 than in each of the previous three years, the age-adjusted mortality rate declined from 19.4 in 2021 to 18.7 in 2024. That distinction matters because changes in the number of deaths can reflect population growth and aging, rather than a change in the risk of dying from breast cancer.
Breast cancer death rates were generally higher across the Southeast and Appalachia in 2024, with Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia all exceeding the national average. Rates tended to be lower across New England and parts of the northern Plains and Upper Midwest.
There were exceptions. Oklahoma, New Mexico, Nevada and Idaho also recorded relatively high death rates, while Florida fell below the national average.
The CDC's report documents the geographic differences but does not explain what caused them. Access to screening, timely diagnosis and treatment are important considerations, but the figures alone cannot establish whether those factors account for the differences between states.
Despite the long-term decline in breast cancer death rates, diagnoses are increasing.
Breast cancer incidence increased by about 1 percent annually between 2012 and 2021, according to Breastcancer.org, which cited research published by the American Cancer Society.
Researchers have identified particularly notable increases among women younger than 50, as well as Hispanic and Asian American and Pacific Islander women.
About 321,910 women are expected to be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in 2026, along with another 60,730 diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ, a noninvasive form of the disease.
About one in eight American women will develop invasive breast cancer during her lifetime.
Advances in screening and treatment have helped reduce the risk of dying from breast cancer, although earlier detection does not prevent the disease from developing. More effective treatments have also contributed to improved survival.
Breast cancer outcomes also differ by race and ethnicity. Black women have a lower incidence of breast cancer than white women but face a substantially higher risk of dying from the disease, according to Breastcancer.org.
The CDC recommends that women follow guidance from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, which calls for women ages 40 to 74 who have an average risk of breast cancer to get a mammogram every two years.
Women at higher risk, including those with certain inherited genetic mutations or strong family histories of breast cancer, may need to begin screening earlier or undergo additional testing.
Mammograms can detect breast cancer before a lump can be felt or symptoms appear, when the disease is generally easier to treat. Regular mammograms can lower the risk of dying from breast cancer.
The CDC says more than 99 percent of women whose breast cancer is detected while still confined to the breast are alive five years after diagnosis.
Screening isn't foolproof. Mammograms sometimes miss cancers or identify abnormalities that turn out not to be cancer. Women should discuss their individual risk factors and screening options with their health care providers.
Most health insurance plans are required to cover screening mammograms every one to two years beginning at age 40 without out-of-pocket costs.
Women who are uninsured or underinsured may qualify for free or low-cost mammograms through the CDC's National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program.
The FDA also maintains a searchable database of certified mammography facilities for women looking for a screening location.
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