On the pulse

Cancerkin’s News…

Season’s greetings…

I have been working on our weekly editions of On the Pulse now for almost three months and would like to take this chance to thank you for the all the positive feedback I have so far received. It is encouraging to hear that so many of you enjoy reading our newsletter and your comments and suggestions are always gratefully received. If you would like to get in touch, you can contact me at l.smith@cancerkin.org.uk. As I will be away next week, I will be leaving On the pulse in the trusted hands of the Cancerkin team until I return on 4th January. Wishing you all a very merry Christmas and happy New Year!

Tombola extravaganza…

As you will know, we held our annual Christmas Tombola at the Royal Free last Friday. The event was a huge success and exceeded all expectations, as, with the help of Cancerkin’s fabulous team of volunteers, we were able to more than meet our target. Hundreds of patients and staff from around the hospital took part, along with many of Cancerkin’s supporter, with over 100 lucky winners taking home a prize.

We would like to say a big thank you to those who volunteered to help out on the stall and collected money – we could not have done it without you. A huge thank you also to all those who donated prizes to Cancerkin – without such generosity the event would not have been such a hit. Thank you all!


In the news…


New discovery in breast cancer genetics…

Of the 45,700 women diagnosed with breast cancer in the UK each year, 30,000 will have hormone-sensitive breast cancers. Scientists at Cancer Research UK have recently made important developments in the understanding of this type of breast cancer, having identified a single gene, known as FOXA1, which controls the growth of breast cancer cells fuelled by the hormone oestrogen.

The research used a technique called ChIP-sequencing to reveal FOXA1 to be the gene that allows oestrogen receptors to interact with the DNA inside breast cancer cell. This in turn switches on the genes that stimulate unchecked cell growth. In breast cancer cells lacking the FOXA1, these genes were not activated.

The discovery of the FOXA1 gene may have important implications for women with ER positive breast cancer and who do not respond to the hormone treatment Tamoxifen. The drug is one of the most effective treatments for oestrogen receptor (ER) positive breast cancer and works by blocking the oestrogen receptors in some, but not all, breast cancer cells. Around a third of those who take the drug will not respond to it or will develop a resistance to it over time. Lead author Dr Jason Carroll said of the discovery: “this is exciting because it suggests that developing drugs to block FOXA1 could provide an effective treatment for women with ER positive breast cancers who have become resistant to standard hormone treatments, like tamoxifen.” Dr Lesley Walker, director of cancer information at Cancer Research UK, said: “We know that some women with breast cancer stop responding to tamoxifen, making them more prone to relapsing. This important discovery could one day lead to new drugs that help improve the outcome for these patients.”

To read more about this fascinating research, please click here.


Laura Smith 17th December 2010
l.smith@cancerkin.org.uk