What you need to know

People who are living with MBC face many challenges.

Europa Donna surveys as well as a significant amount of other research indicates:

• MBS is not widely understood by the public. Women with MBC often feel isolated, invisible and stigmatized.
• Women with MBC do not all have access to the best and newest treatments.
• Women with MBC do not have access to treatment in a specialist breast unit with multi-disciplinary team (MDT).
• Lack of data on MBC upon secondary diagnosis in National Cancer Registries. Therefore, we cannot evaluate effectively whether those with MBC receive adequate support, treatment and services.
• Clinical trials for women with MBC are not available in many countries, and people who do not live close to centres performing clinical trials cannot easily access them.
• Women with MBC do not all have access to testing for genetic mutations; results from this testing can help doctors predict whether certain treatments will be successful for a particular person.
• Women with MBC need better / improved communication with doctors.
• Women with MBC often face unresolved professional, legal and financial issues, such as workplace discrimination, loss of job and thus income, inability to access insurance, and increased medical expenses.
• Women with MBC do not receive sufficient psycho-social support.
• Women with MBC need more support for family matters.

The above list summarises the key issues and concerns about which we need to advocate for and with people with MBC.

Issues may vary from country to country and each country will choose to prioritise those which are most important for immediate advocacy action according to their needs.