Overview

While breast cancer is a high-profile disease, receiving significant private and public research funding and focused awareness and prevention initiatives, patients with metastatic breast cancer face unique challenges. According to the Metastatic Breast Cancer (MBC) Alliance “public messaging about the [breast cancer] ‘cure’ and survivorship is so pervasive that people diagnosed at stage IV with metastatic breast cancer can be stigmatized by the perception that they’ve failed to take care of themselves or undergo annual screening.” In addition, many metastatic breast cancer patients face a number of communication challenges, including:

• A perception that their cancer is curable, driven in part by a low-level of engagement during conversations with providers
• Providers who use overly vague or overly technical medical language
• Providers who may “minimize” the severity of the disease, perhaps in efforts to reduce patient distress or help patients stay positive, engaged, and compliant with treatment recommendations.

With this education project, ACCC seeks to address these challenges. Specific project goals are to:

• expand the current breast cancer conversation to address gaps between early and metastatic disease and
• improve the treatment and management of metastatic breast cancer in the community setting. 

For more information about this project, contact Elana Plotkin, ACCC Provider Education.