A major new collaborative effort, the Global Breast Cancer Initiative, is being introduced today by the
"Although we have seen substantive progress in reducing breast cancer mortality in many high-income countries during the last two decades, little progress has been made in low-and middle-income countries," said Dr
Survival rates in high-income countries far exceed those in low-income countries
Breast cancer survival five years after diagnosis now exceeds 80% in most high-income countries, compared with 66% in
The importance of addressing this situation has become all the more urgent given that breast cancer has now overtaken lung cancer as the world's mostly commonly-diagnosed cancer, and is responsible for one in six of all cancer deaths among women, according to statistics released by the
The establishment of
Three pillars: health promotion, timely diagnosis and comprehensive treatment and supportive care
"Global partners, experts and other organizations will be convened through the Initiative to map existing activities, develop roadmaps, and establish multisectoral working groups to address health promotion and early detection, timely breast cancer diagnosis, and comprehensive breast cancer treatment and supportive care," said Dr
Health promotion, the first pillar, will include public education about the signs and symptoms of breast cancer, risk reduction strategies (such as avoiding obesity, limiting alcohol intake and encouraging breastfeeding), and reducing the stigma associated with breast health that exists in some parts of the world.
Timely breast cancer diagnosis should reduce delays between the time a patient first interacts with the health system and the initiation of breast cancer treatment. Although breast tumours do not change in days or weeks, cancer survival rates begin to erode when delays to initiate treatment are greater than three months. Current delays in some settings and among certain vulnerable populations can be more than a year. Basic diagnostic services are feasible in all settings, so long as they are well-organized and lead to timely referral for specialist care.
Comprehensive treatment and care for breast cancer treatment should include access to surgery, chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy as well as rehabilitation support for women following treatment and palliative services to reduce pain and discomfort.
A technical package to support implementation
An evidence-based technical package will be provided to countries, linked to online learning platforms and other types of support, and rolled out over the next year. The package will incorporate existing
For example, the "Technical Specifications of Radiotherapy Equipment for
Country engagement, including the participation of nongovernmental organizations and input from people
"As a breast cancer survivor and advocate, I am excited about the potential of the new
The new Global Breast Cancer Initiative complements other
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