Overview
HPP convened a multi-stakeholder group of experts to develop actionable policy recommendations that promote equitable care for metastatic breast cancer (MBC). The resources create a powerful platform to raise awareness of the often overlooked needs of people with MBC, and ensure their voices are no longer missing from broader discussions about breast cancer.
Colleen Foran, MBC patient representative, Canada
The challenge
Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women worldwide. Of these deaths, 90% are due to MBC. Despite major advances in early‑stage treatment, almost 30% of women diagnosed with early breast cancer will eventually develop metastatic disease – a condition that, for most, is still not curable.
Treatments for MBC have evolved considerably, enabling many people to live longer and have fulfilling lives. However, inequities in access to best-practice care prevail, in part because current policies often fail to fully recognise or address the unique challenges faced by people with the disease.
What we achieved
- Alongside comprehensive desk research, we mobilised a group of experts – including patients, clinicians, patient advocates and researchers – to identify the most urgent issues in MBC care and shape practical solutions to address them.
- We transformed these insights into an engaging suite of advocacy resources, including an infographic and four policy briefs designed to drive policy attention and change.
- In collaboration with the clinical and patient experts involved in the project, we created powerful video content to amplify the key messages from the policy briefs and bring real-world perspectives to the fore.
- We activated broad dissemination, with the experts involved sharing the resources widely on social media, expanding reach.
Core resources
Project information
HPP was commissioned and funded by Gilead Sciences Europe. Please see the project page for further information.
Get in touch
If you want to find out more about our work on metastatic breast cancer, contact Jessica Hooper, Senior Researcher
