Latest News
A clinical trial shows that tucatinib, an investigative therapy used in combination with trastuzumab and capecitabine, reduces risk of death at two years by one-third in women with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer (HER2+ MBC).
BCAC media release, 15 January 2020: Breast Cancer Aotearoa Coalition (BCAC) is delighted to hear that Ibrance (palbociclib) will be funded by PHARMAC from 1 April 2020.
“This will be a huge relief for the hundreds of New Zealand women who are struggling to self-fund this medicine,” says BCAC’s Chair, Libby Burgess. “It’s also great that the manufacturer Pfizer will provide Ibrance free of charge from now until April.”
BCAC would love you to show support for an intrepid couple who cycled from Dunedin to Parliament to garner support for a petition that would help improve the lives of women with breast cancer and people with other diseases.
Advocates are always a big part of the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, with wonderful opportunities to share ideas, experience, priorities and plans. This photo shows patient advocates together in Texas. The photo is courtesy of the Alamo Breast Cancer Foundation, which we are very pleased sponsored our Deputy Chair Emma Crowley to attend the Symposium. Emma is pictured in the back row in a white Nike T-shirt.
Videos for advocates:
BCAC Secretary Fay Sowerby says a presentation on proteomics was one of the highlights of the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium. Tao Liu, from Pacific Western University described advanced enabling technologies for cancer proteomics developed to be efficient and replicable to handle bulk proteomics workflow typically handling 10,000 proteins and greater than 30,000 phosphorites utilising mass spectronomy.
Initial trial results on the cost and effectiveness of MRI breast cancer screening compared to mammography, in women with a familial risk, have been presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium. The FaMRIsc study is the first randomised trial that has made this comparison.
By Shoshana Maasland, Te Waha Nui (AUT University). Photo also by Shoshana
Fay Sowerby was already involved in breast cancer research when she was diagnosed with the illness. The secretary of Breast Cancer Aotearoa Coalition was well-informed and had been having annual mammograms and occasional ultrasounds. She had recently received an all-clear letter advising she wouldn’t need another mammogram for two years. Four months later, though, she felt a lump.
“I was in a [store] changing room at Lululemon and I put my hand on the side of my breast and felt a small lump. I had no doubt when I touched it what it was.”
The San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS) is underway in Texas. BCAC has two delegates attending – Deputy Chair Emma Crowley and Secretary Fay Sowerby. They are there to learn the latest developments in breast cancer treatment and research to bring back home to help BCAC support and inform women with breast cancer. It's great to see NZ oncologists Eletha Taylor, Naera Waters and Reuben Broom absorbing the latest clinical trial results to benefit NZ women at SABCS (pictured L-R in the second photo down on the right).
The Symposium brings together people from all over the world with an interest in the latest in breast cancer research, detection and treatment.
Among our key milestones of 2019, we achieved funding for new medicines, produced an updated Step by Step support pack, and continued our wide-ranging work to ensure world-class detection, treatment and care for women with breast cancer.
It was fabulous to see so many smiling faces at our AGM in Auckland on 3 December. Members and guests gathered to celebrate the successes of the past year and look ahead to priorities for 2020.
BCAC media release, 5 December 2019
Breast Cancer Aotearoa Coalition (BCAC) is delighted to learn that fulvestrant (Faslodex) will be funded by PHARMAC in the New Year, BCAC Chair Libby Burgess says.
