On the pulse
Cancerkin’s News….
Cancerkin steps up the fundraising…
With only 2 weeks to go before our Hyde Park Walk, we are still accepting any last minute entries for the event on Sunday 13th June 2010. If you would like to enter or require any more details please contact l.newton@cancerkin.org.uk . For those of you who have entered you should have all received your t-shirts by now, so all that is left to do is to start collecting your sponsorship! GOOD LUCK!
Keep an eye on your post boxes this week for information on our Opera fundraising evening; an innovative and witty production of Puccini’s La Boheme at the Soho Theatre London on Saturday 31st July 2010. If you have any ideas for future fundraising initiatives or would like some help or information in organising one of your own please feel free to contact us at the office.
In the News…
Screening process for young women with breast cancer needs overhaul…
Breast cancer is the most common cause of death in women aged 35 to 54 and the statistics are rising, with a quarter of the 46,000 new cases of cancer diagnosed before the menopause. Awareness of the risk of cancer is low among these women as many have previously been advised that they are ‘too young to get breast cancer’. Indeed they are considered by some, ‘too young’ for free screening. NHS breast screening is only routinely available to women between the ages of 50 and 70. However, if you are below this age and have a lump and have been referred by your GP you can be screened by the NHS. Those outside this upper age bracket, who want to be safe rather than sorry must pay for it privately, or receive it as part of a corporate screening programme.
There is evidence that breast cancer detected via screening rather than symptoms, has significantly better survival rates, as it means the disease can be tackled at an early stage. Dr Nick Perry, an NHS Consultant, strongly believes that women under 50 deserve as much right to early detection via screening as older women. Dr Perry’s reports in the Daily Mail that 40% of the patients in his specific clinic are being diagnosed under 50. He continues saying: ‘It's harrowing dealing with these women - many with young children - because, with screening, some of these cases could have been picked up earlier, the women treated successfully and their lives saved. One could argue that it is all the more important for younger women to be screened, as they have a higher proportion of aggressive cancers and, therefore, most to gain from early detection.’
Research shows that women between the ages of 35-49 make up 40% of all years of life lost to breast cancer. In the U.S., where annual breast screening is available to those 40+, results show that 95% of women survive at least 5 years following diagnosis, compared to the UK’s 78.5 %. To offer national breast screening to all those at 40+ would of course have considerable financial and logistical implications. The current economic climate has left the government and the health sector with large budgetary limitations, for all the research, equipment, staff and training that would be involved in the programme redesign. Women under 50 have denser breast tissue, making small cancers harder to find using traditional mammograms, so digital mammography would be required; better at detecting cancer in dense breast tissue but also more expensive.
However, the good news is that as part of the national programme, some Primary Care Trusts around the country have recently announced that they will begin screening from the age of 47. Like such Primary Care Trusts, we at Cancerkin are also looking to serve this emergent group of young cancer suffering women. Over the next couple of weeks, we are looking to establish a Young Women’s Support Group, designed to tackle the issues that may specifically affect young cancer sufferers such as fertility, sexuality, work etc. The proceeds from our up and coming Opera fundraising evening will go towards establishing this group for the long term. If you are interested in the group please email L.newton@cancerkin.org.uk . Read all of Dr Perry’s above article here.
Breast reconstruction support…
BRA is a new Breast Reconstruction Awareness group, set up to bring women who have had mastectomies together, to exchange advice and support on issues surrounding reconstruction. reconstruction. The BRA Group: From left Jane Borland, Rhoda Reeds, Ann Gill, Pam Davis and Cat Johnson Photo: JOHN LAWRENCE The group, the brainchild of Kettering General Hospital plastic surgeon Thangasamy Sankar, founder of the group explains that while national charities such as Breast Cancer Care have post-mastectomy support groups run by medical staff, "this group is different because it's run by patients for patients. Breast reconstruction is not a life-saving operation, it's one to improve a woman's quality of life. A woman needs clear information to make a decision. And however much I describe it, I'm only a clinician. I can't tell women what it feels like." While initial treatments for breast cancer are high-profile, there is much less advice and support about
The women talk frankly about their personal experiences and feelings. Rhoda Rees, a 49-year-old receptionist and mother of two who says a mastectomy "puts a lot of people off sex. You don't feel feminine. It doesn't matter how often your partner reassures you – it's how you feel in your head. You can end up feeling totally worthless." Cat Johnson the group’s secretary and IT expert echoes Rees saying "Friends can be incredibly crass. They'd say things like 'it's only a boob, you don't need it, why not get both cut off?'" Although all the women admit the procedure to be ‘painful’, some even stating it to be worse then cancer, they all share the elation they felt when they saw the results: Rhoda Rees said "Of course it looked like a patchwork quilt with the bruising and stitches, but I felt like a woman again.", a sentiment Ann Gill shares "all you want to do is feel complete… this isn't about vanity: it's about feeling normal."
There are three different types of breast reconstruction available, all with different implications which the article talks through in depth. Read the BRA women’s stories in full here.
Genetics…
After witnessing the death of her mother and older sister to breast cancer, along with 8 other close female relatives, 47 year old Shirley McQueen , has made the radical decision to have both her breasts removed. McQueen has been advised by a genetic oncologist, Dr James Mackay that due to the large number of relatives with the disease and that all cases proved fatal, it could well be possible that Shirley’s family possess a particularly aggressive cancer gene. McQueen herself stating: "From an early age I have accepted that I am going to die, and I have prepared my son and daughter for that," says McQueen.
Jane O'Brien of the General Medical Council, recognises that "Genetics is becoming more of an issue for patients.” However, the many difficult practical and ethical issues that emerge for doctors in the genetics debate often goes unrecognised. For instance should doctors always pass on the news to children, siblings, grandchildren, that there is a risk, possibly a high risk of suffering from the same disease as other blood relatives have suffered?
Read the full article on genetics here. If you have any questions regarding genetics and your condition please speak to your consultant.
Friday 28 May 2010
Friday 21 May 2010
On the pulse....for people affected by breast cancer
On the pulse
Cancerkin’s News….
Cancerkin Volunteers….
Cancerkin would like to say a HUGE thank you to all those who have volunteered their time this week to help us with our mail out for our forthcoming opera fundraising evening. Your efforts have been greatly appreciated!
There is still much to be done so if you are available to get involved please drop in anytime towards the beginning of the week or give the office a ring on 0207 830 2323 to check that we still need people!
For all our other Cancerkin supporters, keep an eye on your mail box for information on our exciting production of Puccini’s La Boheme at the Soho Theatre London on 31st July 2010.
Hyde Park Walk marshals….
We are still on the lookout for some volunteers to help marshal our Hyde Park Walk fundraiser on Sunday 13th June. As a marshal you will be helping with the general running of the day and assisting walkers with any problems they may have. If you would like more information or would like to volunteer please email l.newton@cancerkin.org.uk or speak to Lauren Newton at the office.
In the News…
The risk of cancer drug Taxotere…
The thought of hair loss, a common side effect from undergoing chemotherapy, makes many women anxious, with some feeling as though they have ‘lost my femininity’. Usually hair grows back a month or so after chemo has ended, however chemotherapy drug Taxotere, also known as docetaxel, has left many women with devastating long term hair loss.
Taxotere manufacturers Sanofi-Aventis, say permanent baldness is a 'very rare' complication of such treatments. However, researchers have found that as many as 1 in 16 patients using Taxotere could suffer from persistent alopecia. Following this research a leading UK cancer specialist has now called for a further detailed investigation into whether it is Taxotere alone causing the problem or whether the risk is increased when the drug is used as part of a combination of treatments.
The research has caused global outrage among patients who took Taxotere but insist they were never warned there was any possibility of permanent hair loss. Shirley Ledlie is one such and tells her harrowing story with Taxotere in the Daily Mail saying: 'I feel dreadful, not only about the way I look, but about myself,' she says. 'I am unrecognisable as the woman I once was. I avoid looking in the mirror and I hate shop windows because I see an 80-year-old, ugly old man - or someone going through chemo, which I'm not any more.' Read her full story here.
A drug for the future?
A harmless virus which can apparently reverse even seemingly untreatable forms of cancer when injected into tumours, could give thousands of patients new hope.
Lab tests have shown that Reovirus, which lives in human respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts, can help magnify the effects of radiotherapy in treating even the most advanced cancers. A total of 23 patients who had all stopped responding to traditional therapies were treated in the trial. They were however, still undergoing radiation as a form of pain relief. The patients were given 2-6 injections of Reolysin in varying measures alongside their radiotherapy treatment, with the results reported in the Clinical Cancer Research journal as either shrinking the size of their tumours or stopping it growing completely.
Dr Kevin Harrington, the study leader from the Institute of Cancer Research in London, said: ''The absence of any significant side effects in this study is extremely reassuring for future trials in patients receiving radiotherapy with the aim of curing their cancer.'' Dr Harrington continued, stating that the next steps of investigation would need to look at the effects of the treatment in patients with newly-diagnosed cancers that would normally be treated with radiotherapy alone, he said. Read the full article here
Lauren Newton 12th May 2010
l.newton@cancerkin.org.uk
Cancerkin’s News….
Cancerkin Volunteers….
Cancerkin would like to say a HUGE thank you to all those who have volunteered their time this week to help us with our mail out for our forthcoming opera fundraising evening. Your efforts have been greatly appreciated!
There is still much to be done so if you are available to get involved please drop in anytime towards the beginning of the week or give the office a ring on 0207 830 2323 to check that we still need people!
For all our other Cancerkin supporters, keep an eye on your mail box for information on our exciting production of Puccini’s La Boheme at the Soho Theatre London on 31st July 2010.
Hyde Park Walk marshals….
We are still on the lookout for some volunteers to help marshal our Hyde Park Walk fundraiser on Sunday 13th June. As a marshal you will be helping with the general running of the day and assisting walkers with any problems they may have. If you would like more information or would like to volunteer please email l.newton@cancerkin.org.uk or speak to Lauren Newton at the office.
In the News…
The risk of cancer drug Taxotere…
The thought of hair loss, a common side effect from undergoing chemotherapy, makes many women anxious, with some feeling as though they have ‘lost my femininity’. Usually hair grows back a month or so after chemo has ended, however chemotherapy drug Taxotere, also known as docetaxel, has left many women with devastating long term hair loss.
Taxotere manufacturers Sanofi-Aventis, say permanent baldness is a 'very rare' complication of such treatments. However, researchers have found that as many as 1 in 16 patients using Taxotere could suffer from persistent alopecia. Following this research a leading UK cancer specialist has now called for a further detailed investigation into whether it is Taxotere alone causing the problem or whether the risk is increased when the drug is used as part of a combination of treatments.
The research has caused global outrage among patients who took Taxotere but insist they were never warned there was any possibility of permanent hair loss. Shirley Ledlie is one such and tells her harrowing story with Taxotere in the Daily Mail saying: 'I feel dreadful, not only about the way I look, but about myself,' she says. 'I am unrecognisable as the woman I once was. I avoid looking in the mirror and I hate shop windows because I see an 80-year-old, ugly old man - or someone going through chemo, which I'm not any more.' Read her full story here.
A drug for the future?
A harmless virus which can apparently reverse even seemingly untreatable forms of cancer when injected into tumours, could give thousands of patients new hope.
Lab tests have shown that Reovirus, which lives in human respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts, can help magnify the effects of radiotherapy in treating even the most advanced cancers. A total of 23 patients who had all stopped responding to traditional therapies were treated in the trial. They were however, still undergoing radiation as a form of pain relief. The patients were given 2-6 injections of Reolysin in varying measures alongside their radiotherapy treatment, with the results reported in the Clinical Cancer Research journal as either shrinking the size of their tumours or stopping it growing completely.
Dr Kevin Harrington, the study leader from the Institute of Cancer Research in London, said: ''The absence of any significant side effects in this study is extremely reassuring for future trials in patients receiving radiotherapy with the aim of curing their cancer.'' Dr Harrington continued, stating that the next steps of investigation would need to look at the effects of the treatment in patients with newly-diagnosed cancers that would normally be treated with radiotherapy alone, he said. Read the full article here
Lauren Newton 12th May 2010
l.newton@cancerkin.org.uk
Friday 14 May 2010
On the pulse...for women affected by breast cancer
On the pulse
Cancerkin’s News….
Lady Jakobovits
The Trustees and staff of Cancerkin are deeply saddened by the passing of Lady Jakobovits. She was a great friend, supporter and Patron of Cancerkin. The "Lady J" Lymphoedema Clinic at the Cancerkin Centre continues to see patients from 38 hospitals, hospices and clinics across Greater London. Our thoughts are with her lovely family in the USA & UK. To read more about Lady Jakobovits and her invaluable work please click here
Hyde Park Walk marshals
With our Hyde Park Walk only a month away we are appealing for volunteers to marshal the days event. As a marshal you will be stationed at a ‘marshal point’ throughout the course and provide help, assistance and encouragement to all participants. If you would like to offer your services or have any further questions please email l.newton@cancerkin.org.uk for all the details.
If you are already walking but have a husband, boyfriend, friend or children over the age of 18 who would enjoy some volunteering, please put them in contact with us. The work of a marshal is invaluable to the smooth running of the day and its overall success!
In the News…
Half of breast cancer patients 'suffer symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder'
Agitation, anxiety, depression, nightmares, flashbacks, and mood swings are all facets of post-traumatic stress syndrome. Doctors have found that over half of breast cancer patients suffer from some or all of the above. A frightening breast cancer diagnosis, the stress of treatment, surgery and/or chemotherapy together with larger social implications i.e. giving up work, financial trouble and parenthood can often trigger the beginnings of post-traumatic stress disorder.
Studying the effects of the disease on 331 women, the researches from the Panteion University of Athens found that, overall, 45 per cent of the patients showed symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Of the women studied, many felt they had a poorer quality of life even three years after diagnosis and treatment. The researchers warn: “Knowing that breast cancer patients are susceptible to PTSD, it might be necessary for the field of medicine to create a plan in assisting cancer patients that takes into account the entire spectrum of a patient’s experience with the illness.”
If you suffer from any of the symptoms mentioned above please contact your GP. Furthermore, if you feel there is anything that Cancerkin could do to further help you please do let us know by emailing l.newton@cancerkin.org.uk
To read the full article please click here
Breast cancer genetic risk factors discovered
Scientist have come closer to identifying which women are more likely to develop breast cancer over their lifetime, after the discovery of 5 genetic variants that are believed to increase the risk of breast cancer.
The study, conducted by the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) compared the genetic codes of more than 16,500 women with breast cancer and a family history of the disease with about 12,000 women without either and identified areas of DNA known to influence the risk of cancer. Dr Helen George, head of science information at Cancer Research UK, said: "This is by far the largest study of its kind to explore the common genetic variations that contribute to breast cancer risk. This research takes us a step closer to developing a powerful genetic test for the disease. Such a test could help doctors identify women who have an increased risk so that they can make informed decisions about how to take steps to reduce their chance of developing the disease."
However, Professor Nazneen Rahman, from the ICR, notes that scientists are yet to uncover exactly which genes are causing the heightened risk: "Our results now take the total number of gene regions linked to the risk of breast cancer to 18, but we still don't know which genes are causing this increased risk. Identifying the underlying genes and mechanisms behind breast cancer development is essential to increasing our understanding of the disease and ultimately finding new treatments."
Find the full article here
Lauren Newton 12th May 2010
l.newton@cancerkin.org.uk
Cancerkin’s News….
Lady Jakobovits
The Trustees and staff of Cancerkin are deeply saddened by the passing of Lady Jakobovits. She was a great friend, supporter and Patron of Cancerkin. The "Lady J" Lymphoedema Clinic at the Cancerkin Centre continues to see patients from 38 hospitals, hospices and clinics across Greater London. Our thoughts are with her lovely family in the USA & UK. To read more about Lady Jakobovits and her invaluable work please click here
Hyde Park Walk marshals
With our Hyde Park Walk only a month away we are appealing for volunteers to marshal the days event. As a marshal you will be stationed at a ‘marshal point’ throughout the course and provide help, assistance and encouragement to all participants. If you would like to offer your services or have any further questions please email l.newton@cancerkin.org.uk for all the details.
If you are already walking but have a husband, boyfriend, friend or children over the age of 18 who would enjoy some volunteering, please put them in contact with us. The work of a marshal is invaluable to the smooth running of the day and its overall success!
In the News…
Half of breast cancer patients 'suffer symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder'
Agitation, anxiety, depression, nightmares, flashbacks, and mood swings are all facets of post-traumatic stress syndrome. Doctors have found that over half of breast cancer patients suffer from some or all of the above. A frightening breast cancer diagnosis, the stress of treatment, surgery and/or chemotherapy together with larger social implications i.e. giving up work, financial trouble and parenthood can often trigger the beginnings of post-traumatic stress disorder.
Studying the effects of the disease on 331 women, the researches from the Panteion University of Athens found that, overall, 45 per cent of the patients showed symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Of the women studied, many felt they had a poorer quality of life even three years after diagnosis and treatment. The researchers warn: “Knowing that breast cancer patients are susceptible to PTSD, it might be necessary for the field of medicine to create a plan in assisting cancer patients that takes into account the entire spectrum of a patient’s experience with the illness.”
If you suffer from any of the symptoms mentioned above please contact your GP. Furthermore, if you feel there is anything that Cancerkin could do to further help you please do let us know by emailing l.newton@cancerkin.org.uk
To read the full article please click here
Breast cancer genetic risk factors discovered
Scientist have come closer to identifying which women are more likely to develop breast cancer over their lifetime, after the discovery of 5 genetic variants that are believed to increase the risk of breast cancer.
The study, conducted by the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) compared the genetic codes of more than 16,500 women with breast cancer and a family history of the disease with about 12,000 women without either and identified areas of DNA known to influence the risk of cancer. Dr Helen George, head of science information at Cancer Research UK, said: "This is by far the largest study of its kind to explore the common genetic variations that contribute to breast cancer risk. This research takes us a step closer to developing a powerful genetic test for the disease. Such a test could help doctors identify women who have an increased risk so that they can make informed decisions about how to take steps to reduce their chance of developing the disease."
However, Professor Nazneen Rahman, from the ICR, notes that scientists are yet to uncover exactly which genes are causing the heightened risk: "Our results now take the total number of gene regions linked to the risk of breast cancer to 18, but we still don't know which genes are causing this increased risk. Identifying the underlying genes and mechanisms behind breast cancer development is essential to increasing our understanding of the disease and ultimately finding new treatments."
Find the full article here
Lauren Newton 12th May 2010
l.newton@cancerkin.org.uk
Friday 7 May 2010
On the pulse...for women affected by breast cancer
On the pulse
Cancerkin’s News….
eBay success…
Cancerkin are celebrating their first digital fundraising success story! Over the rainy bank holiday weekend our luxury 10 bed villa in Portugal seemed a welcome invitation, and indeed for one lucky winner it was. After entering into the bidding, a Cancerkin supporter won the auction at the price of £2,000. All the money from this sale will go directly to Cancerkin and will be used to continue our work throughout 2010.
If you are an avid eBay user and would like to donate all or a percentage of your sale prices to Cancerkin please get in touch with h.ahmed@cancerkin.org.uk for more information. Alternatively if you have a product or service you would like to donate please contact l.newton@cancerkin.org.uk .
Hyde Park Walk
Thank you to all those who have entered so far. We are currently waiting for the T-shirts to arrive but we envisage that the entry packs will be sent to you in the next two weeks.
If you have not yet entered but would like to get involved our website has all the relevant information, including downloadable entry and sponsorship forms. Alternatively please contact l.newton@cancerkin.org.uk
In the News…
Could Broccoli really help aid the fight against breast cancer?
A study published in the journal Clinical Cancer Research reveals that a component of the ‘superfood’ broccoli could help target cells which commonly fuel the growth of cancerous tumours.
According to researchers at the University of Michigan, a component of the vegetable, known as sulforaphane, could target and kill cancer stem cells as well as preventing new tumours from growing.
Current chemotherapies do not work against cancer stem cells. Researchers believe that eliminating the cancer stem cells is pivotal in the fight to control cancer. Prof Duxin Sun, the author of the study, said: "Sulforaphane has been studied previously for its effects on cancer, but this study shows that its benefit is in inhibiting the breast cancer stem cells.”
The research was conducted by treating mice that suffered from breast cancer with varying concentrations of sulforaphane. Using several methods to establish results, a marked decrease in cancer stem cells was found following sulforaphane treatment; the cancer cells treated with sulforaphane were also unable to generate new tumours. Sulforaphane was then tested on human breast cancer cell cultures in the lab, finding similar decreases in the cancer stem cells. Researchers are currently developing a method to extract and preserve sulforaphane.
To read the full article please click here.
LaurenNewton 5th May2010
l.newton@cancerkin.org.uk
Cancerkin’s News….
eBay success…
Cancerkin are celebrating their first digital fundraising success story! Over the rainy bank holiday weekend our luxury 10 bed villa in Portugal seemed a welcome invitation, and indeed for one lucky winner it was. After entering into the bidding, a Cancerkin supporter won the auction at the price of £2,000. All the money from this sale will go directly to Cancerkin and will be used to continue our work throughout 2010.
If you are an avid eBay user and would like to donate all or a percentage of your sale prices to Cancerkin please get in touch with h.ahmed@cancerkin.org.uk for more information. Alternatively if you have a product or service you would like to donate please contact l.newton@cancerkin.org.uk .
Hyde Park Walk
Thank you to all those who have entered so far. We are currently waiting for the T-shirts to arrive but we envisage that the entry packs will be sent to you in the next two weeks.
If you have not yet entered but would like to get involved our website has all the relevant information, including downloadable entry and sponsorship forms. Alternatively please contact l.newton@cancerkin.org.uk
In the News…
Could Broccoli really help aid the fight against breast cancer?
A study published in the journal Clinical Cancer Research reveals that a component of the ‘superfood’ broccoli could help target cells which commonly fuel the growth of cancerous tumours.
According to researchers at the University of Michigan, a component of the vegetable, known as sulforaphane, could target and kill cancer stem cells as well as preventing new tumours from growing.
Current chemotherapies do not work against cancer stem cells. Researchers believe that eliminating the cancer stem cells is pivotal in the fight to control cancer. Prof Duxin Sun, the author of the study, said: "Sulforaphane has been studied previously for its effects on cancer, but this study shows that its benefit is in inhibiting the breast cancer stem cells.”
The research was conducted by treating mice that suffered from breast cancer with varying concentrations of sulforaphane. Using several methods to establish results, a marked decrease in cancer stem cells was found following sulforaphane treatment; the cancer cells treated with sulforaphane were also unable to generate new tumours. Sulforaphane was then tested on human breast cancer cell cultures in the lab, finding similar decreases in the cancer stem cells. Researchers are currently developing a method to extract and preserve sulforaphane.
To read the full article please click here.
LaurenNewton 5th May2010
l.newton@cancerkin.org.uk
On the pulse
Cancerkin’s News….
Some banking exposure…
Lloyds TSB has publicised Cancerkin as part of marketing their banking support to charities. Cancerkin has appeared in a promotional video which is shown in branches of the bank and now posted on the news section of our website. A Cancerkin session features on the back of Lloyds’ charity customer brochure which gets wide distribution. And Lloyds has also made a generous £1,000 donation to support Cancerkin’s valuable work.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank Lloyds for their continued support and the publicity they have given us.
Portugal Villa on Ebay…
There are only 4 days remaining to bid for a holiday in a luxury 10 bed Villa in Portugal. The villa holiday has been donated to Cancerkin by one of our supporters as a fundraising drive on eBay. We are looking to raise £2,000+ to put towards Cancerkin’s work for the rest of 2010. If you would like to bid, or know anyone else who may benefit from this offer please follow this link.
We would also like to thank our generous supporter.
If you have anything that you would like to donate for us to auction on eBay please let us know.
Hyde Park Walk…
Entries to this years Cancerkin’s Hyde Park Walk have been coming in steadily and we would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your support! If you have not sent your form in yet, don’t worry, there is still time. We will be accepting applications right up until the day of the walk.
If you know of anyone else who would like to get involved please let us know and we will send them the information. To begin your sponsorship campaign, please download the form from our website.
In the News…
Could breast cancer treatment in the future be tailor-made?
Researchers from the University of California, San Francisco, tracked nearly 1,200 women who were diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ, or D.C.I.S. This form of cancer is often referred to as pre-cancer as the dangerous cells have not yet moved outside of the milk duct. An increase in mammogram use has meant that these cancers are detected early and so most of the women are at low risk from ever developing aggressive cancer. However because there are currently no ways to identify which lesions pose the biggest threat, most women chose to treat the threat aggressively, undergoing a combination of lumpectomy and radiation or opting for mastectomy.
The researchers collected data on 1,162 women diagnosed with D.C.I.S. across 63 San Francisco-area hospitals, following their progress for an average of 8 years. Three specific “biomarkers” which predicted higher risk of invasive cancer were identified. According to the researchers’ frameworks, if all three of these markers were present, a woman had a 20 percent individual risk of developing invasive cancer over the next 8 years. Similarly, when all the markers were negative, her risk of invasive cancer was only 4 percent. The report published online at The Journal of the National Cancer Institute found that 28 percent of the women in the study fell into the high-risk category and that currently in general cancer treatment, women with breast cancer are not typically tested for these ‘biomarkers’, called p16, COX-2 and Ki67.
Dr. Karla Kerlikowske, professor of medicine, epidemiology and biostatistics at the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Centre. “If we can define a woman’s risk a little better then we can personalize what they want to do.”Dr. Susan Love, clinical professor of surgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, not involved in the study said this: “It’s a great study and a good example of how we can decrease overtreatment by identifying markers which can tell us which lesions are the good ones versus which are likely to become invasive and deserve more aggressive treatment,”
The study is limited by its relatively small size and the fact that the women studied received only lumpectomy with no other therapy, which is not the standard treatment for women today. Typically, women with D.C.I.S. get lumpectomy and radiation or mastectomy. Furthermore the positive biomarkers predicted risk for invasive cancer but failed to indentify increased risk for recurrent D.C.I.S.
To read the full article please click here
Lauren Newton 29th April 2010
l.newton@cancerkin.org.uk
Cancerkin’s News….
Some banking exposure…
Lloyds TSB has publicised Cancerkin as part of marketing their banking support to charities. Cancerkin has appeared in a promotional video which is shown in branches of the bank and now posted on the news section of our website. A Cancerkin session features on the back of Lloyds’ charity customer brochure which gets wide distribution. And Lloyds has also made a generous £1,000 donation to support Cancerkin’s valuable work.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank Lloyds for their continued support and the publicity they have given us.
Portugal Villa on Ebay…
There are only 4 days remaining to bid for a holiday in a luxury 10 bed Villa in Portugal. The villa holiday has been donated to Cancerkin by one of our supporters as a fundraising drive on eBay. We are looking to raise £2,000+ to put towards Cancerkin’s work for the rest of 2010. If you would like to bid, or know anyone else who may benefit from this offer please follow this link.
We would also like to thank our generous supporter.
If you have anything that you would like to donate for us to auction on eBay please let us know.
Hyde Park Walk…
Entries to this years Cancerkin’s Hyde Park Walk have been coming in steadily and we would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your support! If you have not sent your form in yet, don’t worry, there is still time. We will be accepting applications right up until the day of the walk.
If you know of anyone else who would like to get involved please let us know and we will send them the information. To begin your sponsorship campaign, please download the form from our website.
In the News…
Could breast cancer treatment in the future be tailor-made?
Researchers from the University of California, San Francisco, tracked nearly 1,200 women who were diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ, or D.C.I.S. This form of cancer is often referred to as pre-cancer as the dangerous cells have not yet moved outside of the milk duct. An increase in mammogram use has meant that these cancers are detected early and so most of the women are at low risk from ever developing aggressive cancer. However because there are currently no ways to identify which lesions pose the biggest threat, most women chose to treat the threat aggressively, undergoing a combination of lumpectomy and radiation or opting for mastectomy.
The researchers collected data on 1,162 women diagnosed with D.C.I.S. across 63 San Francisco-area hospitals, following their progress for an average of 8 years. Three specific “biomarkers” which predicted higher risk of invasive cancer were identified. According to the researchers’ frameworks, if all three of these markers were present, a woman had a 20 percent individual risk of developing invasive cancer over the next 8 years. Similarly, when all the markers were negative, her risk of invasive cancer was only 4 percent. The report published online at The Journal of the National Cancer Institute found that 28 percent of the women in the study fell into the high-risk category and that currently in general cancer treatment, women with breast cancer are not typically tested for these ‘biomarkers’, called p16, COX-2 and Ki67.
Dr. Karla Kerlikowske, professor of medicine, epidemiology and biostatistics at the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Centre. “If we can define a woman’s risk a little better then we can personalize what they want to do.”Dr. Susan Love, clinical professor of surgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, not involved in the study said this: “It’s a great study and a good example of how we can decrease overtreatment by identifying markers which can tell us which lesions are the good ones versus which are likely to become invasive and deserve more aggressive treatment,”
The study is limited by its relatively small size and the fact that the women studied received only lumpectomy with no other therapy, which is not the standard treatment for women today. Typically, women with D.C.I.S. get lumpectomy and radiation or mastectomy. Furthermore the positive biomarkers predicted risk for invasive cancer but failed to indentify increased risk for recurrent D.C.I.S.
To read the full article please click here
Lauren Newton 29th April 2010
l.newton@cancerkin.org.uk
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