Have you Been Diagnosed with Locally Advanced or Metastatic Breast Cancer?

Sponsored by Merck

Understanding locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer

Have you or someone you love been diagnosed with an advanced form of breast cancer? Learning more about the type and stage of breast cancer can help you make informed decisions.

Locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer are both forms of cancer that have spread beyond where they first started in the breast.  

• In locally advanced breast cancer, the cancer has grown into nearby tissues or lymph nodes, such as those in the underarm or near the breastbone.¹  
• In metastatic breast cancer, cancer cells have spread to other parts of the body, such as the bones, lungs, liver or brain. This is also called stage IV breast cancer. ¹  

The most common type of breast cancer—both in metastatic disease and overall—is hormone receptor positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 negative (HR+/HER2-).² This means the cancer grows in response to the hormones estrogen and progesterone (HR+), but does not have high levels of the HER2 protein (HER2-).²

How does this type of breast cancer affect the Black community?

Overall, approximately one in nine Black women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime.³ Black women are more likely than white women to be diagnosed at younger ages and face more aggressive forms of breast cancer.³ 

When researchers look at breast cancer rates by subtype and race or ethnicity, HR+/HER2- stands out as the leading type of breast cancer for women across all groups in the U.S.² Among Black women, there are nearly 78 new cases of HR+/HER2- breast cancer per every 100,000 women each year based on data from the National Cancer Institute from 2018 to 2022.² That makes it the most common type of breast cancer in the Black community as well.

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Although research suggests biology plays an important role, differences in how often Black women develop breast cancer—and how they fare after diagnosis—are complex and likely reflect many factors, making this disease especially urgent to address in the Black community.⁴

Representation in clinical trials matters

Clinical trials are research studies designed to learn how our bodies respond to medicines and help researchers test new ways to help prevent, find, diagnose and treat diseases. By participating in a trial, volunteers help researchers learn about whether the investigational drug is safe and effective. 

In 2020, just 8% of all clinical trial participants in the U.S. were Black, compared to 75% who were White.⁵  

Amanda Bishop, Diversity Program Lead at Merck, emphasizes the importance of inclusion in clinical research, “Because Black women are disproportionately affected by breast cancer, it is crucial that clinical trials for breast cancer include participants from the Black community. When clinical trials are inclusive, they help researchers understand how investigational drugs may work across different populations, including from communities that may be most impacted.”

Learn about a clinical trial for locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer

Merck is sponsoring a clinical trial (NCT06312176) at multiple U.S. locations. This trial is studying an investigational therapy called an antibody drug conjugate (ADC). The goal of the trial is to evaluate whether the investigational drug is safe and effective to slow down or stop the growth of HR+/HER2- unresectable locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer compared to other treatments. 

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The clinical trial is enrolling adults aged 18 and older with HR+/HER2- breast cancer who:

• have locally advanced disease or metastatic disease (cancer that has spread to other parts of the body),
• had the cancer grow or spread during treatment with hormone therapy (a treatment that blocks the hormones that cancer cells use to grow),
• have disease that cannot be removed surgically (unresectable), and
• have not previously been treated with chemotherapy for the cancer.

There are additional criteria which the study staff will discuss with you that will determine whether you are eligible to participate in this trial.

Here are some other things to know about this trial:

• Taking part in this clinical trial is voluntary. 
• Participants can leave the trial at any time, for any reason.  
• Participants may or may not directly benefit from the trial, as the investigational therapy they get may or may not work for them. 
• The trial staff will discuss the possible risks and benefits of participation with participants, and participants can ask questions before agreeing to participate.

Learn more about this trial

To learn more about the clinical trial, talk to your doctor or visit www.merckclinicaltrials.com/breastcancer. 

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References

¹ Cleveland Clinic. Breast Cancer. Accessed May 29, 2026.

² National Cancer Institute. Female Breast Cancer Subtypes — Cancer Stat Facts. Accessed May 29, 2026. 

³ Saka AH, Giaquinto AN, McCullough LE, et al. Cancer statistics for African American and Black people, 2025. CA Cancer J Clin. 2025. Accessed May 29, 2026.

⁴ Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Black women and breast cancer: Why disparities persist and how to end them. Accessed May 29, 2026.

⁵ U.S. Food and Drug Administration. 2020 Drug Trials Snapshots Summary Report. Accessed May 29, 2026.