On the pulse...for people affected by breast cancer

Cancerkin's news update….

Funding announcement

Cancerkin has secured a grant of £10,000 from Capacity Builders, a Government sponsored organisation which provides support to third sector organisations i.e. charities. The grant is from the Modernisation Fund Grants Programme which focuses on organisations providing services to those worst hit by the recession. The funding is for Cancerkin's project to provide support to those affected by breast cancer in East London.

In the news…

CT scans may cause more cancers than previously thought

Scientists are claiming that CT scans can be triggering cancer in as many as one in 80 patients. This is far higher than the one in 1000 odds that are generally quoted. Although American findings where CT scans are more routinely offered, there is now the possibility that this new development will hold true for the UK. During 2008/9 in England there were a total of almost 36 million scans, x-rays and tests involving ultrasound, magnetic and radio waves, and radiation, of which 3.3 million were CT scans.

This story can be found in:

Daily Telegraph: CT scans may pose higher risk of cancer than first thought
The Independent: CT scans 'could raise the risk of cancer

Daily Express: Under the microscope

Alopecia

Hair specialists used to see women with hair loss problems twice a year, now they're getting them once a week. Yet, surprisingly little is known about female hair loss or alopecia. A recent survey revealed that as many as one in three women over the age of 25 will suffer from some sort of hair loss.

An article in the Telegraph takes a first person perspective on female hair loss. Highlighting that scientists don't know what triggers alopecia or how to stop it.

Nanosensors

The Sun has a story about a microchip that can detect cancer in 20 minutes by using nanosensors to seek out specific proteins in blood. These tests are meant to detect prostate and breast cancer biomarkers. The research was reported in the journal Nature Nanotechnology.

New breast cancer drug offers last hope to women

Forty per cent of women with an aggressive and advanced form of breast cancer who were given the treatment in clinical trials saw the size of their tumours reduced for at least six months. This new drug combines a combination of Herceptin and a particular type of chemotherapy.
Dr Jane Maher, Chief Medical Officer at Macmillan Cancer Support said: "These findings are definitely promising. What we need is more work quickly to see if the results are as good using large scale, randomised control trials."

Hormone replacement therapy and breast cancer

The Guardian's Dr Crippen asks 'Is hormone replacement therapy a health risk? A myth has grown up that nobody should stay on HRT for longer than five years. But the truth is more complex?'


This is the last On the pulse newsletter before Christmas. Nicky Waldman will be back from America in January in time for the next edition so I shall simply say a big thank you for all your support throughout the year and especially to those of you who have given so freely of your time. I hope you have a restful Christmas and I am looking forward to working with you again in the New Year.


Victoria Todd (v.todd@cancerkin.org.uk)