The modern breast cancer epidemic continues to spread worldwide. In the UK there is a national registration of newly diagnosed cancers. There is also a consistent national program of breast cancer screening in operation for women throughout the UK. Calculations using this British national data show how the lifetime risk of breast cancer has increased. Forecasts of newly diagnosed cancers published in 2007, using known risk factors to model the rates, accord quite well with what is reported for recent years up to 2014.