Introduction

About the ABC Global Alliance

 The ABC Global Alliance, established in 2016 as an initiative of the European School of Oncology and now registered as a non-profit association in Portugal, is a multi-stakeholder platform for all those interested in collaborating on common projects related to advanced breast cancer (ABC) around the world. We are made up of people and organisations who are committed to develop, promote and support tangible improvements that will ultimately create awareness and actions that will improve and extend the lives of patients living with ABC worldwide.

The ABC Global Alliance was launched during the World Cancer Congress in Paris on 3 November 2016. It is a continuation of the work developed through the ABC International Consensus Conference created in 2011, responsible for the ESO-ESMO international consensus guidelines for the management of advanced breast cancer and its advocacy efforts.

The ABC Global Alliance invites all interested ABC7 participants to join its meeting that will take place immediately after ABC7 on 11 and 12 November 2023.

Saturday, 11 November

ABC7 will be followed by the ABC Global Alliance meeting and General Assembly.

Communication Workshop

On Saturday, 11 November from 14:30 to 16:00 Lisbon time, we will be hosting a communication workshop. The workshop will be dedicated to discussing important communication issues related to prognosis and discussing end of life. Five main questions will be asked to all participants:

1. When should the end-of-life discussions happen?
2. Who else, besides the patient, should be present?
3. What should be discussed?
4. Who within the multidisciplinary team should be responsible for the discussion?
5. How might it be best done?

In order to allow participant to express their opinions, the audience will be divided into smaller groups and each group will discuss the same questions. Answers will be collected, discussed, taking into account geographical and cultural differences, and conclusions and future actions will be agreed upon (e.g. potential position paper).

Saturday, 12 November

In 2025, to mark a decade since the launch of ABC Global Charter, the ABC Global Alliance plans to relaunch the charter with updated goals, to continue to drive change in ABC. To introduce the plan for the relaunch of the ABC Global Charter and discuss initial ideas for its update, the ABC Global Alliance will be holding a half-day working session on Sunday 12 November, from 8:30 until 12:30. The session will be open to all in-person attendees of the ABC7 conference in Lisbon.