Breast Cancer Canada and AstraZeneca Canada Advance Next-Generation Survivorship Research

Announced at ESMO 2026: $200,000 in matched funding to advance the future of Canadian breast cancer survivorship.

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Breast Cancer Canada and AstraZeneca Canada are investing $200,000 in matched research funding to address critical gaps in breast cancer survivorship and improve care for Canadians living with and beyond the disease. Announced at Breast Cancer Canada’s Canadian Night reception during the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress in Madrid, the funding will support two Canadian research initiatives, each receiving $100,000 to advance innovative approaches to patient navigation, survivorship research and personalized care.

Through this partnership, Breast Cancer Canada and AstraZeneca Canada are advancing research and innovation to address critical gaps across the survivorship continuum. The funded projects will explore digital health and artificial intelligence (AI) approaches to strengthen patient navigation, better understand patient needs, and inform more coordinated, personalized care.

The announcement comes as survey data from Breast Cancer Canada highlights public support for better survivorship care:

• 92% of Canadians agree the cancer journey does not end when active treatment concludes.
• 83% support medically supervised survivorship plans to guide patients through long-term recovery.

“Finishing active treatment is a major milestone, but it is not the end of a patient’s breast cancer journey,” said Kimberly Carson, CEO of Breast Cancer Canada. “Patients can face ongoing side effects, uncertainty, and complex medical decisions for years. Through our partnership with AstraZeneca Canada, we are investing in responsible innovation to help ensure survivorship care advances alongside precision treatment.”

“At AstraZeneca, we’re driven by a bold ambition: to eliminate cancer as a cause of death, and that ambition extends beyond treatment to ensuring every survivor has access to the care and innovation they need to thrive,” said Dave Finlay, Franchise Head, Breast Cancer at AstraZeneca Canada. “We are proud to partner with Breast Cancer Canada to support Dr. Kamal Haider and Dr. Amina Silva, whose research aims to improve care coordination, strengthen support and advance more personalized approaches to survivorship.”

Breast Cancer Canada and AstraZeneca Canada Matched Research Grant Recipients

Patient Navigation After Treatment and Digital Health ($100,000)

Led by Dr. Kamal Haider, Medical Oncologist at the University of Saskatchewan, the SAGE-S project will explore and validate a two-way large language model to support survivorship, with research coordination across Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia.

The gap: After active treatment, patients may continue taking long-term medications and managing side effects. Between appointments, accessing reliable information and knowing how to respond to changing symptoms can be challenging.

The research: SAGE-S will investigate whether a secure, clinician-supported AI tool can provide tailored education and symptom-management support between visits. The project will assess how digital health technology can complement clinical care.

Long-Term Resource Framework for Metastatic Breast Cancer ($100,000)

Led by Dr. Amina Silva, PhD, RN, at Brock University in Ontario, this project will examine the ongoing needs of people living with metastatic breast cancer to inform more responsive, coordinated care.

The gap: People living with metastatic breast cancer often experience ongoing physical, emotional, and financial challenges while navigating ongoing treatment across multiple specialists and healthcare settings. As their circumstances change, ensuring care reflects their priorities can be difficult.

The research: Using AI-assisted analysis of experiences shared in online support groups, the project will identify unmet needs and develop a practical framework for nursing support. The findings will help inform more personalized approaches to care that better reflect the experiences and priorities of people living with metastatic breast cancer.

Advancing Survivorship for Canadians Affected by Breast Cancer

Survivorship is a core pillar of Breast Cancer Canada’s national advocacy and education strategy, reflecting the need for care that extends beyond active treatment. Canadians living with and beyond breast cancer may experience lasting physical, emotional, cognitive, sexual and financial impacts, alongside ongoing monitoring and follow-up needs that are not consistently addressed across the healthcare system.

The investment with AstraZeneca Canada advances this commitment by supporting research into practical, patient-centred approaches to survivorship care. From exploring AI-enabled tools to improve access to information and symptom-management support to identifying the evolving needs of people living with metastatic breast cancer, the two projects aim to generate insights that can inform more coordinated, personalized care.

“Canada possesses world-class research and clinical expertise,” added Carson. “This joint funding supports research designed to translate findings into practical, accessible support for Canadians living beyond breast cancer. By investing in survivorship research and innovation, we can build a stronger understanding of patients’ needs and advance more coordinated, patient-centred care.”

About Breast Cancer Canada

Breast Cancer Canada is a national charity dedicated to funding breast cancer research to improve outcomes for Canadians affected by the disease. Through research, education and advocacy, Breast Cancer Canada works to advance precision oncology, improve access to evidence-based care and address gaps across the breast cancer care continuum. Learn more at breastcancer.ca