New figures announced by Breast Cancer Ireland point to a substantial increase in survival rates beyond five years of those living with metastatic breast cancer, the most severe form of the disease, from 19% to 32%.
Ireland’s leading breast cancer charity has also revealed for the first time that there are approximately 950 females in Ireland living with distant metastatic disease or metastatic breast cancer, the most challenging area from a scientific research and treatment perspective. Although rates of recovery from metastatic breast cancer are lower than for other forms of cancer, the number of women living in Ireland with the disease is steadily growing, with continuing clinical trials development, creating new and improved treatments and therapies.
Hope can also be found in the results of ground-breaking new research conducted by the Breast Cancer Ireland funded research team at RCSI, University of Medicine and Health Sciences in Dublin, which has uncovered a potential new target to manage breast cancer that has spread to the brain.
In addition to the announcement of these research findings, Breast Cancer Ireland has launched #MetastaticMatters a campaign focussing on those living with a metastatic diagnosis.
The campaign aims to highlight the symptoms of metastatic disease to be aware of, and also to increase understanding of how and why this occurs. The campaign will be supported by a heavyweight digital, PR and communications campaign ensuring that the voices and concerns of those living with metastatic disease in Ireland are heard, understood and valued - making the breast cancer community feel like a place that ALL those affected belong.
“The narrative around metastatic breast cancer needs to evolve…and it is beginning to do so. It is undeniably a very worrying diagnosis but from a research perspective, there is hope to be found and findings indicate that it is getting more hopeful by the day. We see many women and men in this country living with metastatic disease…and in fact living well. In this sense, it’s important to drive conversations around metastatic breast cancer and show what it can look like, and what it does look like for so many people. The idea of living with an incurable disease can be a hard one to get our heads around, but in the last 5 years significant strides are being made to change the prognosis of stage four breast cancer, helping patients live longer, fuller lives,” Breast Cancer Ireland CEO Aisling Hurley, stated.
