by Many people with breast cancer are being “systematically left behind” because of inaction on inequality and hidden suffering, experts have said.
A new global report suggests that people with the condition still face huge inequalities and significant adversity, much of which is largely unrecognized by society and policy makers.
The Lancet Breast Cancer Commission highlights the need for better communication between medical staff and patients, and emphasizes the importance of early detection.
It also highlights the need for greater awareness of breast cancer risk factors, with nearly one in four (23%) of the disease estimated to be preventable.
Breast cancer is now the most common cancer in the world, and at the end of 2020 7.8 million women were alive having been diagnosed in the previous five years.
In the same year, 685,000 women died of the disease.
Estimates suggest that the global incidence of breast cancer will increase from 2.3 million new cases in 2020 to more than three million by 2040, with a projected one million deaths per year from the disease by 2040.
Although breast cancer is the most common cancer, gaps in knowledge continue to prevent effective action, experts suggest.
For example, the number of people with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) – cancer that has spread to other organs – is unknown, which affects the provision of treatment and care.
Although 20%-30% of patients with early breast cancer relapse, most national cancer registries do not routinely record relapses, so the number of patients living with MBC is unknown.
Lead author of the Lancet Commission, Professor Charlotte Coles, Department of Oncology, University of Cambridge, said: “Recent improvements in breast cancer survival are a testament to the success of modern medicine.
“However, we cannot ignore the number of patients who are systematically left out.
“Our commission builds on previous evidence, presents new data and integrates patient voices to shed light on a large, unseen burden.
“We hope that by highlighting these disparities and the hidden costs and suffering in breast cancer, healthcare professionals and policy makers can better recognize and address them in partnership with patients and with the community around the world.”
The commission also warns of the social and emotional impacts of breast cancer on patients, many of which, it argues, have not been adequately measured.
In addition, the Commission carried out a pilot study, funded by Breast Cancer Now, which analyzed the financial costs of breast cancer for individuals and the wider economy.
The study – which limited its scope to the UK to assess these impacts in a country where healthcare is free at the point of use – found that many people experienced falling incomes, job losses and difficulty paying for travel expenses to treatment after diagnosis. breast cancer.
The new report argues that these costs are largely unacknowledged by policymakers and society, and also warns of the social and emotional impacts of breast cancer on patients, many of which, the commission argues, are not adequately measured. sufficient.
Breast Cancer Now says that as a result of years of campaigning, a secondary breast cancer audit is now underway in England and Wales to collect and analyze essential data.
Although the first data was published recently, information on the stage of diagnosis of patients is incomplete and does not include data on patients in Wales, the charity says.
It also says that despite the cancer strategies in Scotland and Northern Ireland promising to improve data collection for secondary breast cancer, this has not yet been delivered.
Dr Simon Vincent, director of research, support and impact at Breast Cancer Now, said: “Despite the incredible progress we have made in preventing, detecting and treating breast cancer over the past few years, the Breast Cancer Commission Lancet, as part of it. -funded by Breast Cancer Now, highlights how much more needs to be done for those living with this disease.
“Uptake of the screen continues to fall below the achievable 80% target and long waiting times often driven by workforce shortages are preventing many women from starting treatment that could be a life saver.
“We often hear from people with incurable secondary breast cancer that they feel overlooked and forgotten, and the grim reality is that the insights they desperately need into their treatment and care remain elusive. improvement to come until accurate and complete data collection is prioritized and implemented across the UK.”
He added: “We hope that governments and policy makers around the world and here in the UK will acknowledge the Commission’s roadmap for change and take urgent steps to improve support and treatment for people with breast cancer.
“We look forward to seeing the impact of this report as we strive to achieve our ambition that by 2050 everyone diagnosed with breast cancer will be alive and supported to live well.”
