Women with breast cancer have better recovery chances today than women who developed the disease just a few years ago. ( dpa )
The survival rate among breast cancer victims has risen through better diagnosis, early detection, more targeted surgical methods and specific medicines, said Germany's cancer society in Weimar.
If the disease is detected in its early stages, 80 per cent of the breast cancer patients are still alive five years later. In Germany 55,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer annually. Nearly 18,000 die from it.
Women aged 50 today have twice the chances of recovery than their mothers had at the same age.
One of the most important early detection methods is a mammogram. Women in this age group have the greatest risk of being diagnosed with the disease, the cancer society said. Breast cancer screening is recommended every two years.
Younger women, including those in their 20s, should practice self examination to catch any lumps in the early stages of development.