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Until the 20th century, breast cancer was considered an unspeakable condition, and in general, cancer was seen as an incurable disease.1 Thanks to increases in funding, research, and patient advocacy, there is greater awareness of and care for people living with breast cancer.2 But, for people with the most advanced forms of breast cancer, there still remain significant gaps in funding, research, and care.
The Current State of Metastatic Breast Cancer Research
Every year, millions of people around the world are diagnosed with breast cancer,3 and between 20-30% of these cases will progress to advanced or metastatic breast cancer (mBC).4 While early stage breast cancer can often be cured, mBC remains incurable. An estimated 626,000 women and men die of breast cancer every year, with metastatic disease the cause of nearly all these deaths.5
Clearly, more research is needed to improve outcomes for people living with mBC. Billions of dollars are invested into cancer research every year, but research funding for mBC accounts for only 7% of the total breast cancer research investment.6 At Pfizer, we share the goal of finding cures for mBC with scientists, doctors, patient advocates, and institutions from all over the world. Our shared goal is ultimately why Pfizer administers the Breast Cancer Competitive Research Grants Programs.
Breast Cancer Competitive Research Grant Programs
Through the Breast Cancer Competitive Research Grants programs, Pfizer funds organizations dedicated to mBC research and patient care. Through the most recent rounds of grants, Pfizer received proposals from 68 different countries and awarded funding to 43 new research projects.
These projects support independent clinical research that can improve our understanding of breast cancer epidemiology, patient populations, and the treatment landscape; or expand our understanding of gaps in research, patient care, and patient needs.
If you’re interested in learning more about Pfizer’s Competitive Grants Programs, click here.
Recipients of Pfizer Breast Cancer Competitive Grants
The below projects were selected to receive grants in 2020 through the Pfizer Breast Cancer Competitive Grants Program:
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- Dr. Hikmat Abdel-Razeq, King Hussein Cancer Center, Jordan
- A study to establish patterns and prevalence of germline BRCA1 & BRCA 2 mutations among high-risk breast cancer patients in the Middle East.
1. Osuch, Janet R, et al. “A Historical Perspective on Breast Cancer Activism in the United States: from Education and Support to Partnership in Scientific Research.” Journal of Women’s Health (2002), Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., Mar. 2012, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3298674/.
2. Braun S. The History of Breast Cancer Advocacy. The Breast Journal. 2003;9(42):S101-S103.
3. World Health Organization. Breast Cancer Fact Sheet. https://gco.iarc.fr/today/data/factsheets/cancers/20-Breast-fact-sheet.pdf. Accessed November 13, 2020.
4. O’Shaughnessy. “Extending survival with chemotherapy in metastatic breast cancer.” Oncologist 2005;10 Suppl 3:20-9.
5. World Health Organization. Globalcan 2018: Breast Cancer. Available at: https://gco.iarc.fr/today/data/factsheets/cancers/20-Breast-fact-sheet.pdf. Accessed December 2020.
6. MBC Alliance. Metastatic Breast Cancer Landscape Analysis (2014).
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- Dr. Hikmat Abdel-Razeq, King Hussein Cancer Center, Jordan