October marks Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a global campaign that raises awareness of breast cancer, encourages earlier diagnosis and supports those affected by the disease. In 2026, Breast Cancer Awareness Month runs from 1-31 October, providing an opportunity not only to raise awareness, but also to reflect on how research can contribute to better outcomes for patients worldwide.
This is particularly important across Africa, where significant disparities in breast cancer outcomes remain. According to the Africa Breast Cancer Council, around 5 in 10 women diagnosed with breast cancer in sub-Saharan Africa survive for five years, compared with more than 9 in 10 in high-income countries. The Council also reports that around 70% of breast cancer cases in Africa are diagnosed at an advanced stage, compared with approximately 20% in high-income countries.
As a clinical research organisation working across Africa and internationally, Pharmalys recognises that improving breast cancer outcomes requires more than awareness alone. It requires strong evidence, representative research and clinical research systems capable of translating scientific advances into meaningful improvements in care.
The role of clinical research in breast cancer
Clinical research is fundamental to understanding how breast cancer develops, how it can be detected earlier, and how treatments can be made more effective and accessible. From interventional clinical trials evaluating new treatments to observational and implementation research examining how healthcare interventions work in real-world settings, research generates the evidence needed to inform clinical practice and health policy.
For breast cancer, this evidence is particularly important because the disease is not one single condition. Different subtypes can respond differently to treatment, making high-quality research essential to developing and evaluating approaches that meet the needs of diverse patient populations. Yet the benefits of research are not always distributed equally.
The disparities in survival demonstrate why generating robust and representative evidence matters. The data shared by the Africa Breast Cancer Council also highlights the importance of early detection: survival is estimated at around 90% when breast cancer is detected at an early stage, compared with approximately 20% when diagnosed at a late stage.
These differences underline the importance of research that not only evaluates new treatments, but also examines how earlier detection, timely diagnosis and access to care can be improved within different healthcare settings.
Bringing African populations into the evidence base
Across many African countries, breast cancer continues to present significant challenges, including later-stage diagnosis and limited access to diagnostic and treatment services. The Africa Breast Cancer Council highlights the significant disparity in outcomes, with around 5 in 10 African women diagnosed with breast cancer currently surviving for five years.
Clinical research has an important role to play in addressing these gaps. Including African populations in clinical research can help generate evidence that is relevant to the populations and healthcare systems in which treatments will ultimately be used. It can also strengthen local research capacity, clinical infrastructure and expertise.
The scale of the challenge is reflected in the World Health Organization’s 2040 breast cancer goals, established through the Global Breast Cancer Initiative. These goals focus on three key areas: early detection, timely diagnosis and improved treatment outcomes. By 2040, the WHO aims to:
- increase the proportion of breast cancers detected at an early stage (Stages I and II) from 30% to 60%
- reduce the average time from symptom recognition to treatment from 183 days to 60 days
- improve survival so that 8 in 10 African women diagnosed with breast cancer survive, compared with the current rate of approximately 5 in 10 women.
These targets demonstrate the importance of strengthening the full pathway from detection and diagnosis through to treatment, while generating the evidence needed to understand what works in different populations and healthcare settings. The WHO’s Global Breast Cancer Initiative identifies early detection, timely diagnosis and comprehensive breast cancer management as key strategies for reducing breast cancer mortality and health inequalities.
At Pharmalys, our work across clinical research, clinical monitoring, data management, biostatistics, regulatory affairs and capacity building contributes to strengthening the systems needed to conduct high-quality research across the continent. By supporting robust data generation and research capacity, we can contribute to the wider evidence base needed to help advance progress towards better outcomes for patients across Africa.
Awareness to action
Breast Cancer Awareness Month is an important reminder to understand the signs and symptoms of breast cancer and to seek medical advice when a new or unusual change is identified. Breast Cancer Now also encourages people to become familiar with how their breasts normally look and feel and to report changes to a healthcare professional. But awareness is only one part of the picture.
For the research community, Breast Cancer Awareness Month is also an opportunity to ask how we can contribute to a future where high-quality evidence is generated across diverse populations, research capacity is strengthened locally, and advances in cancer research can translate into better care for patients.
At Pharmalys, we believe in contributing to research that is rigorous, relevant and inclusive, helping to strengthen the evidence, systems and capacity needed to improve health outcomes across Africa and beyond. Read more about our Count Africa In initiative.
