The World Health Organization (WHO) released a new Global Breast Cancer Initiative Framework providing a roadmap to attain the targets to save 2.5 million lives from breast cancer by 2040. The new Framework launched ahead of the World Cancer Day campaign, recommends to countries to implement the three pillars of health promotion for early detection, timely diagnosis and comprehensive management of breast cancer to reach the targets.
The newly published framework leverages proven strategies to design country-specific, resource-appropriate, health systems for the delivery of breast-cancer care in low- and middle-income settings. It outlines three pillars of action with specific key performance indicators:
- Recommending countries to focus on breast cancer early-detection programs so that at least 60% of the breast cancers are diagnosed and treated as early-stage disease.
- Diagnosing breast cancer within 60 days of initial presentation can improve breast cancer outcomes. Treatment should start within three months of first presentation.
- Managing breast cancer so that at least 80% of patients complete their recommended treatment.
