Multidisciplinary care, including psychological; securing access to new drugs or oncology nursing specialization are some of the top ten needs for women with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer, the most aggressive subtype with fewer therapeutic options. Manifesto of the “Coalition of Experts” on World Metastatic Breast Cancer Day.
Logo of the Coalition of Experts for the treatment of metastatic triple negative breast cancer. Photo provided
The 25 opinion leaders who make up the ‘Coalition of Experts’ met this Thursday at the Congress of Deputies to present the first manifesto that puts on the table the ten main needs to be met for triple negative breast cancer patients metastatic
This metastatic cancer is still a deadly disease, as there is no cure for now. It mostly affects young, active women who, because of their age range, are not included in breast cancer screening programs.
Pilar Fernández, president of the Association of Metastatic Breast Cancer Patients: “The metastatic triple negative takes the lives of young women and their families. It’s not pink ribbon cancer, it’s black ribbon cancer. We need help urgently.”
Triple-negative breast cancer accounts for approximately 10-15% of all breast cancers and so far its approach is the conventional treatment of chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery although in recent years a door has been opened to innovation with the emergence of immunotherapy.
What is urgent for triple negative breast cancer?
The “Manifest for the visibility of the needs of women with metastatic triple negative breast cancer” collects ten needs in relation to the care of this advanced tumor in the National Health System (SNS):
- It is urgent to innovate in the prevention and oncological carebut also, and in a fundamental way, to influence the health training and education of the population.
- It is urgent preparation of health systems for an increase in the incidence of metastatic breast cancer in general, and metastatic triple-negative breast cancer in particular.
- It is urgent to have access to one multidisciplinary team by metastatic triple negative breast cancer patients so that they can access the necessary resources regardless of their place of residence.
- The accreditation of one is urgent specialization in oncology nursingsince in order to successfully provide the care needed by patients with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer, specific training and knowledge is necessary.
- It is urgent involvement of Palliative Care services and Pain Units throughout the care process so that patients improve the reconciliation of the disease with everyday life, quality of life and emotional health.
- Urgent aincrease the participation of the disciplines of psycho-oncology, clinical psychology or mental health from the moment of diagnosis for the acceptance and self-management of the emotions generated by the disease.
- It is urgent to promote the realization of the family genetic study and improve access to family or hereditary cancer units in the NHS as a personalized prevention measure adapted to the real risk of developing metastatic triple-negative breast cancer.
- It is urgent to assign more research resources to have greater and better knowledge of metastatic triple negative breast cancer, from diagnosis and throughout the different phases of the disease.
- It is urgent to facilitate the access of these patients to all those approved treatments that have demonstrated clinical efficacyas the main enemy of metastatic triple negative breast cancer patients is time.
- It is urgent to improve the access to clinical trials to patients with metastatic triple negative breast cancer, reducing administrative hurdles, facilitating coordination between authorized centers and other satellite centers that can collaborate, allowing access to a greater number of patients and facilitating the mobility of samples and not so much from patients who have difficulty moving from one province to another.