NZ breast cancer specialists, assisted by the Breast Cancer Foundation NZ, have just published a new set of consensus guidelines for treating advanced breast cancer (ABC-NZ2). Patient representatives from Metavivors NZ, Sweet Louise and BCAC also contributed to the guidelines.
Oncologist Dr Marion Kuper, who chaired the team producing the guidelines, says “We’ve created these guidelines to be a framework for everyone involved in the treatment of ABC, including clinicians, patients and government health organisations. They provide an evidence-based summary of what NZ clinicians consider best practice to manage ABC, a complex disease requiring specialist care, if we are to help our patients live as long as possible with the best possible quality of life.”
BCAC Chairperson Libby Burgess says “BCAC is delighted that we now have up to date guidelines for ABC. They will be a very useful tool to lift the quality of treatment offered and ensure that care is standardised across NZ. Importantly, they’ll give patients a clear idea of the standard of care that they should expect to receive.” Libby says she can see the guidelines being used to help patients have well-informed discussions about their treatment and care options with their clinicians, and that better decisions will result from that.
BCAC encourages all women with ABC to download a copy of the guidelines (available here) and use them as a personal source of information.
21st October 2022
