A pragmatic qualitative study to explore women's and clinicians' experience of access to systemic anti-cancer therapies for the treatment of secondary breast cancer.

Purpose: An estimated 57,000 women are currently living with secondary (metastatic) breast cancer across the UK. Equitable access to treatment has been associated with improved clinical outcomes, however geographical disparities have been reported which remain poorly understood. The purpose of our study was to explore women and clinicians' experience of geographic access to systemic anti-cancer therapies for the treatment of secondary breast cancer.

Geographic and sociodemographic access to systemic anticancer therapies for secondary breast cancer: a systematic review.

Background: The review aimed to investigate geographic and sociodemographic factors associated with receipt of systemic anticancer therapies (SACT) for women with secondary (metastatic) breast cancer (SBC).

Methods: Included studies reported geographic and sociodemographic factors associated with receipt of treatment with SACT for women > 18 years with an SBC diagnosis. Information sources searched were Ovid CINAHL, Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid Embase and Ovid PsychINFO.

Access to systemic anti-cancer therapies for women with secondary breast cancer-protocol for a mixed methods systematic review.

Background: It is well recognised that access and receipt of appropriate guideline recommended treatment with systemic anti-cancer therapies for secondary breast cancer is a key determinant in overall survival. Where there is disparity in access this may result in unwarranted variation and disparity in outcomes. Individual, clinical and wider contextual factors have been associated with these disparities, however this remains poorly understood for women with secondary breast cancer.