On the pulse

Cancerkin’s news…

Hyde Park Walk 2011…

Registration is now open for Cancerkin’s annual sponsored Hyde Park Walk - your invitation and registration form will be in the post as we speak! This year’s walk will take place on Sunday 19th June 2011 at 10.30am and we do hope to see as many of you there as possible. For more event details and extra registration forms, please visit our fundraising events page here.

Dance therapy…

From next week, Cancerkin will be offering weekly Dance therapy classes with Marina Benini MA RDMP, Lecturer in Movement Studies and Dance Movement Psychotherapy at Goldsmiths Unit of Psychotherapeutic studies. They will be held on Mondays from 11.30am to 12.30am, beginning 11th April 2011. Please contact Habeeb on 020 7830 2323 or at h.ahmed@cancerkin.org.uk to register your interest.


In the news…

Alcohol and breast cancer

An interesting article was posted on the Susan G. Komen for the cure website this week, giving a useful summary of research into the relationship between alcohol consumption and breast cancer. As the article explains, it is clear that drinking alcohol excessively is harmful to our general health and can increase breast cancer risk. What is less commonly known is how drinking in moderation impacts upon breast cancer risk and upon those who have already had breast cancer.

Research has found that even a few drinks a week can modestly increase breast cancer risk. The more a women drinks, the more her risk increases. Analysis of 53 separate studies into alcohol has found that for each drink consumed per day, risk increases by seven percent, with those who drink two or three alcoholic beverages a day having a 20 percent higher risk of developing breast cancer than non-drinkers. There are a number of ways in which alcohol affects breast cancer risk. As explained in the article, alcohol is highly calorific and is often a contributing factor to excess weight gain. Heavier women tend to have higher levels of oestrogen in their blood, which can in turn increase breast cancer risk. However, alcohol has been to found to impact risk independent of body weight – it can affect the way the body processes oestrogen, causing levels to rise and thus increasing risk. Studies suggest a diet rich in the nutrient folate, or folic acid, can reduce breast cancer risk related to alcohol consumption. Folate allows the body to copy and repair DNA, but drinking alcohol can reduce levels in the blood making incorrect copies of DNA more likely when cells divide, potentially leading to the growth of cancerous cells.

The article states that, for a healthy woman, drinking some alcohol (less than one drink a day) can have health benefits, for example lowering risk of heart disease and hypertension. However, it is not yet know if drinking alcohol in moderation has any such health benefits for breast cancer survivors. The results of studies into the relationship between alcohol and the risk of breast cancer recurrence and breast cancer mortality are mixed - some show there is an increased risk whilst others show there is none. What the article does make clear is that the benefits outlined above can be gained through exercise and healthy diet instead of alcohol, and that excessive drinking does not have health benefits for anyone, only health risks.
To read the full article, please click here.


New Guidelines for Breast Cancer Treatment

This week, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) released new draft guidelines for healthcare providers on the treatment of breast cancer. The draft outlines 13 ‘quality standards’ including guidance on referring suspected cases to a screening unit, offering ultrasound to those with early invasive breast cancer; and proving adequate removal and good aesthetic outcome for those who undergo surgery. The standards will provide objective guidance to patients and medical professionals on how good care should look. The aims of the quality standards are to ‘prevent people from dying prematurely, to ensure that people have a positive experience of care, and to treat and care for people in a safe environment and protecting them from avoidable harm.’

Included in the standards is detailed guidance on providing access to surgery and hormone therapy for early invasive breast cancer patients, irrespective of their age. As reported in On the pulse in February and March, recent studies into breast cancer treatment in the elderly have revealed that those over 70 are much less likely than those under 70 to receive surgery as treatment for their breast cancer. A recent NICE study found that less than 60 percent of breast cancer patients over 70 received surgery as part of their treatment, compared with 96 percent of middle-aged patients. As a result, the new standards state that the proportion of patients over 70 who receive surgery, as well as endocrine therapy, radiotherapy or chemotherapy, will now be monitored.

Dr Fergus Macbeth, Director of the Centre for Clinical Practice at NICE said: “Sadly, breast cancer affects a large number of women in England, so this standard is an important step in helping those responsible for the treatment of patients with this condition to deliver the best care possible.” Dr Rachel Greig, Senior Policy Officer at Breakthrough Breast Cancer, said: “These draft guidelines could be a step forward in ensuring that important information is more accessible and user friendly for healthcare professionals and patients. We want to ensure that all breast cancer patients have every chance to beat this disease. Therefore we hope these standards will safeguard best practice and provide clarity on the level of care expected for the treatment of breast cancer.”

To read a Telegraph report, click here. For further information about the draft quality standards on the NICE website, please click here.


Laura Smith 8th April 2011