UICC’s actions on breast cancer
In the last decade, UICC has launched a series of initiatives to encourage early detection and improve access to treatment and care.
In order to help address the high mortality rates of breast cancer cases in low resource settings, UICC has launched a series of initiatives to encourage early detection and improve access to treatment and care. Additionally, UICC engages its community through communication materials, specifically during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Furthermore, UICC, together with the NCI’s Center for Global Health, Breast Health Global Initiative (BHGI) and PAHO jointly produced the Knowledge Summaries for Comprehensive Breast Cancer Control (KSBC), a set of tools to help guide policymakers, advocates and clinicians in developing appropriate programmes and policies. Together with other oncology organisations, UICC participated in the Breast Cancer Initiative 2.5 (BCI2.5) from 2014 to 2021, until the ambitions and focus of this work became part of the WHO Global Breast Cancer Initiative.
UICC’s Breast Cancer programme
Since October 2020, UICC has strengthened and engaged an array of actors from the breast cancer community through its Breast Cancer programme. Leveraging established UICC Capacity Building programmes and convening platforms, this multi-partnership programme aims at accelerating progress in support to the WHO Global Breast Cancer Initiative (GBCI)’s targets at the regional and global levels, with a particular focus on low- and middle-income countries. The programme addresses topics such as the challenges of early detection in LMICs, supportive care for patients and in particular advanced breast cancer patients, advocacy for the GBCI targets, and integrated approaches to women’s cancers. Through this programme, UICC has launched grants opportunities supporting 19 organisations in 18 countries to raise awareness for early detection.
The Breast Cancer programme builds on the Seeding Progress and Resources for the Cancer Community (SPARC) MBC Challenge delivered from 2015-2021, in partnership with Pfizer Oncology. SPARC was a global grant initiative seeking to support new ideas and projects from advocacy groups, hospital networks and other non-for-profit organisations working to address the specific needs of metastatic breast cancer patients. The SPARC MBC Challenge awarded a total of 1,580,000 USD in grants to over 50 organisations from 35 countries, providing seed funding for new initiatives alongside a package of training, networking, and mentoring.
Breast cancer is the second most diagnosed cancer globally.
Breast cancer
This page regroups resources on breast cancer control such as infographics, videos and articles.
Resources for breast cancer control
UICC’s Breast Cancer programme is designed to respond to the urgent need to accelerate progress in breast cancer.
Breast Cancer programme
Breast Cancer Awareness Month has been celebrated every October since the eighties. It is called 'Pink October' as people around the world adopt the pink colour and display a pink ribbon to raise awareness about breast health.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Last update
Friday 27 September 2024