We have a bold vision. That by 2050 everyone diagnosed with breast cancer will live, and be supported to live well. But that won’t happen overnight. We need to work towards that target every minute, every day.
In this section
Turning the tide
Our Turning the Tide strategy to 2025 is about doing that. Every way we can. It’s about accelerating progress towards fewer cases, fewer deaths and a better quality of life for everyone affected by breast cancer.
How are we going get there? We've pinpointed 5 areas we want to speed up progress in.
Tackling secondary breast cancer
People living with incurable secondary breast cancer tell us they feel "forgotten". "Invisible". By 2025 we’re determined to know more about who’s living with this form of the disease. And the treatments they’re getting.
Why it matters so much
Secondary breast cancer has a devastating impact. Both for people living with it, and their loved ones. And breast cancer services are usually designed to meet the needs of people with primary breast cancer.
The challenge
For decades, scientists have been trying to understand what causes secondary breast cancer. We estimate that over 61,000 people are living with the disease in the UK. We’re committed to improving treatments, support and services for all of them.
Real change by 2025
Between now and 2025, we're:
- Demanding improvements to services for people with secondary breast cancer
- Creating a platform for people with secondary breast cancer to share their experiences
- Investing in research to understand the physical and psychological needs of people with this form of the disease
- Campaigning for the most effective treatments
- Developing and expanding our own services
Giving better support services
Anyone affected by breast cancer can turn to us for support. We want to tell more people across the UK about the ways that we’re here for them.
Why it matters so much
Around 600,000 people in the UK are living with or beyond breast cancer. That’s more than ever before. We need to find new and innovative ways to support everyone who needs us.
The challenge
1 in 2 people with primary breast cancer struggle with anxiety or depression. And 1 in 4 women who took part in our Moving Forward course in 2019 said the end of hospital treatment was harder than having a breast removed, chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
Real change by 2025
Between now and 2025, we're:
- Making our services more widely available
- Further personalising and tailoring our services
- Making sure as many people as possible get a swift and personalised referral to our services
- Driving progress in treatment, support and patient experience
- Investing in research that grows our understanding of people’s physical and psychological needs
Developing kinder, smarter treatments
Treatment for breast cancer should never hurt someone’s quality of life.
By 2025 we want all policymakers to know the huge impact breast cancer still has. And our researchers will keep working on new and targeted treatments for the disease.
Why it matters so much
Treatment comes with many difficult side effects. This can be traumatic, painful and emotional. Not just for the people going through treatment, but for their loved ones too.
The challenge
The most commonly reported long-term side effects of breast cancer treatment are fatigue and pain. But hidden effects such as menopausal symptoms, loss of fertility, anxiety and depression also impact a person’s quality of life every day.
Real change by 2025
Between now and 2025, we're:
- Investing in research into what causes breast cancer
- Supporting research to find new drugs with fewer side effects
- Campaigning to make sure that people across the UK can access the most effective treatments
Improving detection and diagnosis
Detecting breast cancer early is a cornerstone of successful treatment and saving lives. We want to make sure everyone knows the signs and symptoms. Especially the people most at risk.
Why it matters so much
Early detection is crucial for improving outcomes. And around 5% of women’s breast cancer has already spread and become incurable by the time it’s diagnosed. Raising awareness is vital to getting more people to regularly check their breasts and go to breast screening.
The challenge
Only 27% of people diagnosed at stage 4 will survive 5 years or more, compared to 99% of people diagnosed at stage 1. We need to do everything we can to improve the detection and diagnosis of breast cancer, so that everyone has the best chance of surviving.
Real change by 2025
Between now and 2025, we're:
- Raising awareness of the signs and symptoms of breast cancer
- Tackling barriers to early detection and diagnosis
- Addressing inequalities in access to information and support
- Investing in research to improve detection and diagnosis
- Campaigning for more people to have access to breast screening, based on their risk of developing breast cancer
- Calling for UK-wide access to family history services
- Finding new ways to ensure timely secondary breast cancer referrals and diagnosis
Preventing breast cancer
We want to see a culture shift as we move toward our long-term goal. This means recognising that – for some – breast cancer can be prevented.
Why it matters so much
Breast cancer is the world’s most common cancer. In the UK, it’s the second biggest cause of death from cancer in women. We must understand why cancer develops and spreads and find ways to stop that from happening.
The challenge
Around 23% of breast cancers in the UK could be prevented through simple lifestyle changes. But not enough people know how to reduce their risk of developing breast cancer.
Real change by 2025
Between now and 2025, we're:
- Investing in research to look at the causes of breast cancer and why it spreads around the body
- Empowering people to adopt healthier lifestyles
- Working with health and social care charities, organisations, and other partners to develop public health initiatives
- Holding governments and NHS bodies to account, to make sure they work towards giving all communities equal access to risk reduction strategies
- Helping improve nationwide screening and public health programmes by sharing the latest evidence and learnings with decision-makers
