In the UK, we're still lacking accurate data on the number of people living with secondary breast cancer. No one living with secondary breast cancer should be invisible. So we've signed an international advocacy pledge to call on governments to improve their data collection.
What's the issue?
Secondary breast cancer happens when breast cancer cells spread from the breast to other parts of the body. It's also known as metastatic breast cancer, advanced breast cancer, or stage 4 breast cancer. Although secondary breast cancer can be treated, it currently can’t be cured.
Right now in the UK, we estimate that around 61,000 people are living with secondary breast cancer. But we still don’t have an accurate, up-to-date figure.
This current lack of data makes it difficult to understand the exact number of people living with secondary breast cancer. As a result, it’s incredibly hard to plan for and implement the services that will meet their needs.
How we’re pushing for progress
In England and Wales, we helped secure the National Audit of Metastatic Breast Cancer. However, the audit’s first ‘State of the Nation’ report showed there is still much more to do to improve the recording of secondary breast cancer.
In Scotland, the Cancer Action Plan 2023-2026 committed the Scottish Government to improve secondary breast cancer data collection. With less than a year until the plan ends, we still don’t know what data can and will be collected and reported on.
In Northern Ireland, the Cancer Strategy 2022-2032 recognised the need to improve data collection for people with secondary breast cancer. The strategy also committed to reviewing cancer data and developing a cancer data framework to improve services.
Count us in: An advocacy pledge
We know that we need to do more – now.
So we’re going bigger by working with Breast Cancer Network (Australia) and Rethink Breast Cancer (Canada), to make sure no one living with secondary breast cancer is invisible.
Alongside these 2 leading breast cancer charities, we’ve added our name to Count us in: An advocacy pledge. It calls on governments to:
- Prioritise secondary breast cancer data collection and reporting
- Collaborate internationally – allowing researchers and governments to share knowledge and support consistent approaches
- Integrate secondary breast cancer across global initiatives
- Ensure people living with secondary breast cancer are visible within health systems
For too long when it comes to secondary breast cancer, we’ve done a wonderful job of counting the dead, but not enough to count the living. I’ve been campaigning for over 10 years to change that - to make sure that data on secondary breast cancer is collected and then used effectively. As of today we still don’t know how many people are living with the disease in the UK. People with secondary breast cancer do not have time to wait - we need action on data collection now.
Claire Myerson
Find out more
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Overview of Secondary Breast Cancer in Wales, Summer 2024
Over the last year, we’ve been working hard to address the challenges facing secondary breast cancer patients in Wales.
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We respond to the National Audit of Metastatic Breast Cancer State of the Nation Report 2024
Melanie Sturtevant, associate director of policy, evidence and influencing, at Breast Cancer Now, said:
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Year 1 of Scotland's Cancer Action Plan
Read how we plan to progress the actions of the Scottish Cancer Action Plan 2023-2026 and our concerns around the commitment to collect seco...
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Secondary counts – our secondary breast cancer campaign win
Today, we are excited to announce that we have finally secured a long-overdue secondary breast cancer audit in England, delivering on one of...
