What is MBC?
What you need to know
Metastatic Breast Cancer (MBC), also called advanced breast cancer (ABC) and secondary breast cancer, means that the cancer has spread from where it started in the breast to other parts of the body. It is also referred to as stage IV breast cancer. Women with Metastatic Breast Cancer face different challenges compared to women with earlier stages of breast cancer and today many of their needs are unmet and not well understood. For this reason EUROPA DONNA - The European Breast Cancer Coalition has made MBC a priority for its advocacy activities and conducts annual courses for metastatic breast cancer advocates.
Metastatic Breast Cancer
Metastatic breast cancer (also called stage IV or advanced breast cancer) is not a specific type of breast cancer. It’s the most advanced stage of breast cancer.
Metastatic Breast Cancer
Metastatic breast cancer is breast cancer that has spread beyond the breast and nearby lymph nodes to other parts of the body (most often the bones, lungs, liver or brain).
Metastatic Breast Cancer
Although metastatic breast cancer has spread to another part of the body, it’s still breast cancer and treated as breast cancer.
Metastatic Breast Cancer
Breast cancer that has spread to the bones is still breast cancer (not bone cancer). So, it’s treated with breast cancer drugs rather than treatments for a cancer that began in the bones.