The latency period for breast cancer varies among women of different ages, from about 1.7 years for women aged 40-49.5 years, 3.3 years for women aged 50-59.5 years, and 3.8 years for women aged 60-69.5 years.
Breast cancer is a malignancy that develops slowly relative to sites such as liver and pancreatic cancer, and is generally considered to have an expansion time of ≥2.5 years.
From the generation of a single cell until it develops into a clinically palpable 0.1-cm-sized mass, it takes more than 30 divisions to multiply. By the time it grows to a lump about 1 cm in diameter, the latency period for breast cancer needs to be 5-8 years. The latency and advancement of breast cancer varies widely among individuals depending on the age and histologic type of the woman.
Breast cancer is a systemic disease that is easier to detect than other malignancies because of its proximity to the body surface. For patients with a family history of breast cancer, the age of onset of breast cancer in their offspring is generally earlier and the latency period may be only 5-10 years, whereas for patients without a family history, the latency period may be as long as 10-20 years due to endocrine disruption or the effects of ionizing radiation.
We currently have a favorable early diagnosis rate, early treatment and cure rate for breast cancer.