New Zealand and Australian breast cancer rates among the highest in the world, global study finds

Australians have one of the highest rates of breast cancer diagnoses in the world, according to new data that looked at global breast cancer incidence and death rates in 185 countries. The incidence rate for breast cancer was highest in Australia and New Zealand (NZ), although rates of death from breast cancer were at the lower end of the scale. The study found Australia and NZ were reducing their breast cancer mortality by 2.1% per year—well on the way to meeting the World Health Organization Global Breast Cancer Initiative goal of 2.5% a year.