Giving hope to those affected
by secondary breast cancer
18th November 2025 by Clare Cox Education
"I joined more than 1,200 people from across the world in Lisbon for ABC8 - the Advanced Breast Cancer Conference organised by the ABC Global Alliance. It brought together patient advocates, researchers, oncologists, nurses, and people living with secondary (metastatic) breast cancer.
I didn’t expect to see so much laughter, or to see world-leading experts moved to tears. The energy, compassion, and commitment in the room were unforgettable. For a small charity like Make 2nds Count, being part of this global community was a reminder that together, we can drive real change.
One of the most powerful moments came from Lesley Stephen, patient advocate and trustee of Make 2nds Count, who gave a plenary lecture on the challenges faced by people living with secondary breast cancer.
She asked a simple but essential question: What do patients want?
More - and kinder - treatments
More information on, and easier access to, clinical trials
An end to inequities and the postcode lottery
To be counted!
Her words echoed so much of what we strive for at Make 2nds Count - improving equity of access to treatments across the UK, providing our Clinical Trials Service to help patients explore their options, and hosting the Patient Summit, the UK’s only national conference dedicated to secondary breast cancer. The Summit, livestreamed to everyone who wants to join, ensures that research is shared in patient-friendly language so that information is open to all.
Another highlight was a talk by Prof Dame Lesley Fallowfield, University of Sussex, presenting a new global review from the ABC Global Alliance, published this year in The Breast. The findings underline how vital communication is in secondary breast cancer care.
While more healthcare professionals now receive communication training, many patients still report unmet emotional needs and feel left out of treatment decisions.
Prof Fran Boyle, University of Sydney, also shared how misconceptions among healthcare professionals can affect care - especially when clinicians become judgemental, ageist, or simply exhausted. She encouraged us to:
Increase the visibility of people with secondary breast cancer who are living well and exercising
Tell healthcare teams about your life goals and future plans
Show examples of “exceptional survivors” who have lived with secondary breast cancer for decades
It was a powerful reminder that open, two-way communication changes everything - from how patients are seen to how care is delivered.
Prof Hope Rugo, University of California, explored what patients and healthcare professionals each want from clinical trials. Patients want to live well and live as long as possible; clinicians look for ways to balance efficacy and toxicity, and to identify who benefits most.
Dr Bishal Gyawali, Queen’s University, challenged traditional trial endpoints, arguing that quality of life (QoL) and overall survival (OS) should take priority. Many modern trials rely on progression-free survival (PFS), but as he pointed out, PFS doesn’t always correlate with how someone actually feels or how long they live.
It was encouraging to hear global experts align with what patients have been saying for years - that research should reflect what truly matters to people living with secondary breast cancer.
On the final day, a panel of 42 international experts worked together to update the ABC Global Consensus Guidelines - debating and voting live on recommendations for treatment. Watching this process was extraordinary.
The “medicine cabinet” of treatment options keeps growing, making decisions ever more complex. What stood out most was the emphasis on shared decision-making - where patients can talk about their life goals and values so that treatment choices reflect what matters most to them.
The expertise, dedication and compassion on display were deeply inspiring.
We’ve come so far in the past ten years - and yet, there’s still so much more to do.
From better communication to fairer access, from patient-centred trials to global collaboration, ABC8 showed that progress happens when patients, clinicians and advocates work side by side.
At Make 2nds Count, we’re proud to be part of that movement - ensuring that people living with secondary breast cancer have the information, support, and voice they deserve.
Because truly, there’s no time to wait.
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