Transforming breast cancer care for underserved patient populations

More than 2.3 million people are diagnosed with breast cancer each year, and in 95% of countries, breast cancer is the first or second leading cause of female cancer deaths.¹ However, not all patients have access to optimal breast cancer care, which results in notable disparities in outcomes within, and across countries around the globe.^2-4

The 2025 Powering Breast Cancer Progress grant is now open!

The Powering Breast Cancer Progress (PBCP) grant programme is an initiative funded by AstraZeneca and supported by Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) to improve health outcomes for underserved patient populations.

The 2025 PBCP grant programme will continue to focus on patient navigation but will specifically focus on timely breast diagnosis and comprehensive breast cancer management.

Full details on round two of the grant programme are set out in the Guidance for Applicants document.

Eligible organisations can submit their grant application until 22 September 2025.

Learn more about our PBCP grant programme below. 

Recognising inequities in breast cancer care

The introduction of breast cancer screening, earlier diagnosis and innovative therapies, along with increased disease awareness have considerably improved the survival of people living with breast cancer.^5-7 However, significant barriers and inequities persist in breast cancer care, and the reduction in breast cancer mortality has not been shared equally among patient populations. Patients often experience differences in their diagnosis, treatment and care based on who they are and where they live, rather than their clinical needs.^2-4

These inequities of care can lead to significant disparities in outcomes, for example:

• The decline in breast cancer mortality rates being observed in high-income countries over the past four decades has yet to be achieved in the majority of low- and middle-income countries.⁵
• Even within countries, inequities of care can be observed based on several factors, such as age, disability, ethnicity, gender, rural and remote communities, sexual orientation and socio-economic status.^2-4

Improving access to patient navigation services

The PBCP grant programme, launched in 2024, is an initiative funded by AstraZeneca and supported by CAF. It has been established in recognition of the inequities in breast cancer care around the world and the significant barriers to optimal care that are contributing to avoidable breast cancer deaths. The programme aims to fund innovative and inspiring projects that could help transform breast cancer care for undeserved patient populations and patients living in areas of low socioeconomic status.

Currently in its second year, the PBCP grant programme continues to focus on breast cancer patient navigation – an integral part of the patient experience as it helps individuals navigate their complex care pathway.^7,8

Patient navigation has been identified as a critical evidence-based resource for patients with breast cancer as it has been suggested to improve patient outcomes, reduce the impact on healthcare systems and can help to reduce inequities in breast cancer care.^3,8-12

However, there are significant barriers to accessing patient navigation services, and these are even more pronounced among underserved patient populations and patients living in areas of low socioeconomic status.^7,8,13 These barriers include a lack of recognition, inconsistent programme models and approaches and structural barriers, such as limited resources and investment.⁷ In some countries, training and professionalisation of patient navigators is lacking, and, in most cases, there is no officially recognised oncology patient navigation certification, resulting in a lack of navigators, which is being reinforced by the shortage of nurses worldwide.⁸

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has recognised by patient navigation as an effective, evidence-informed intervention to support the framework of the WHO Global Breast Cancer Initiative (GBCI).¹¹ The GCBI framework offers valuable guidance to governments and health systems worldwide on ways to enhance their systems for detecting, diagnosing and treating breast cancer. The GBCI’s primary goal is to reduce cancer mortality through three key pillars: promoting health and early detection, ensuring timely diagnosis and providing comprehensive breast cancer management.¹¹

The 2025 PBCP grant programme focuses on the GBCI’s second and third pillars – timely diagnosis and comprehensive breast cancer management.

2024 grant awardees

In 2024, its inaugural year, the PBCP grant programme received over 160 applications from 59 countries, with seven initiatives awarded a grant as follows:

References

1. World Health Organisation. WHO launches new roadmap on breast cancer. Available at: http://www.who.int/news/item/03-02-2023-who-launches-new-roadmap-on-breast-cancer. Accessed May 2025.
2. Siegel RL, Miller KD, Jemal A. Cancer statistics, 2018. CA: a cancer journal for clinicians. 2018 Jan;68(1):7-30.
3. Brawley OW, Berger MZ. Cancer and disparities in health: perspectives on health statistics and research questions. Cancer. 2008 Oct 1;113(S7):1744-54.
4. Byers T. Two decades of declining cancer mortality: progress with disparity. Annual review of public health. 2010 Apr 21;31(1):121-32.
5. World Health Organisation. Breast cancer inequities. Available at: http://www.who.int/initiatives/global-breast-cancer-initiative/breast-cancer-inequities. Accessed May 2025.
6. Freeman HP, Rodriguez RL. The history and principles of patient navigation. Cancer. 2011 Aug;117(15 0):3539.
7. Baik SH, Gallo LC, Wells KJ. Patient navigation in breast cancer treatment and survivorship: a systematic review. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2016 Oct 20;34(30):3686-96.
8. AstraZeneca. Patient Navigation Report, 2023. (Z4-58313).
9. AstraZeneca. Patient Navigation Report, 2023. (Z4-60834).
10. Natale‐Pereira A, Enard KR, Nevarez L, Jones LA. The role of patient navigators in eliminating health disparities. Cancer. 2011 Aug 1;117(S15):3541-50.
11. World Health Organisation. Patient navigation for early detection, diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. Available at: http://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/379225/9789240100954-eng.pdf?sequence=1. Accessed January 2025.
12. Kline RM, Rocque GB, Rohan EA, et al., Patient navigation in cancer: the business case to support clinical needs. Journal of oncology practice. 2019 Nov;15(11):585-90.
13. Chan RJ, Milch VE, Crawford‐Williams F, et al., Patient navigation across the cancer care continuum: an overview of systematic reviews and emerging literature. CA: a cancer journal for clinicians. 2023 Nov;73(6):565-89.

Veeva ID: Z4-73738
Date of preparation: May 2025