Breast cancer is an increasing global health, gender, socioeconomic, and equity challenge.
In 2020, 2·3 million women were diagnosed with breast cancer and there were 685 000
deaths worldwide.
Not only is breast cancer the highest incident cancer globally, but it is also the
most prevalent, causing more disability-adjusted life-years lost than any other malignancy.
Tackling breast cancer is a formidable task for health-care systems, policy makers,
and other stakeholders. The numbers of people with metastatic breast cancer who go
uncounted are concerning. Cancer registries record patients initially presenting with
de-novo metastatic breast cancer, but data on those who develop metastases after a
diagnosis of early breast cancer are scarce.
In 2020, 2·3 million women were diagnosed with breast cancer and there were 685 000
deaths worldwide.
Not only is breast cancer the highest incident cancer globally, but it is also the
most prevalent, causing more disability-adjusted life-years lost than any other malignancy.
Tackling breast cancer is a formidable task for health-care systems, policy makers,
and other stakeholders. The numbers of people with metastatic breast cancer who go
uncounted are concerning. Cancer registries record patients initially presenting with
de-novo metastatic breast cancer, but data on those who develop metastases after a
diagnosis of early breast cancer are scarce.
In a world focused on breast cancer cure, these uncounted people living with metastatic
disease face abandonment and stigma.
