What is advanced breast cancer (aBC)?

11__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Significant medical advances have contributed to breast cancer survival in the UK doubling in the last 40 years.¹ In addition, public awareness and commitment across the country in providing research funding supports many women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer.

Despite this, breast cancer remains the most common cancer in the UK, with around 55,000 women diagnosed each year... that’s 150 women every day.²  Breast cancer is the fourth most common cause of cancer death in the UK.³

Advanced breast cancer is when the disease has recurred and/or spread from the breast to other parts of the body such as the liver, bone, lungs or brain.⁴ This can also be described as secondary or metastatic breast cancer (mBC).⁴

References

1. Cancer Research UK. Breast cancer statistics. Available from: http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/statistics-by-cancer-type/breast-cancer#heading-Three (link is external) [Accessed August 2022].     
2. Cancer Research UK. Breast cancer incidence (invasive) statistics. Available from: http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/statistics-by-cancer-type/breast-cancer#heading-Zero (link is external) [Accessed August 2022].     
3. Cancer Research UK. Cancer mortality for common cancers. Available from: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/mortality/common-cancers-compared#heading-Zero (link is external) [Accessed August 2022].     
4. Breast Cancer Now. Secondary breast cancer diagnosis. Available at: https://breastcancernow.org/information-support/facing-breast-cancer/secondary-metastatic-breast-cancer/secondary-breast-cancer-diagnosis (link is external) [Accessed August 2022].