On the pulse

Cancerkin's News Update.....

Hyde Park Walk 2011

Thank you to everyone who came along on Sunday to take part in the Hyde Park Walk! We had a fantastic turnout of walkers, joggers and runners on our big day out in the Park. Crowds of families, friends, and even a troupe of ballerinas gathered early on Sunday morning at the Hyde Park Bandstand before setting off round the Serpentine to show their support for women affected by breast cancer. We were lucky enough to escape the rain, with sunny spells and a cool breeze making for perfect walking conditions, and all thoroughly enjoyed the day!

To see photos from the walk, head to our Flickr or Facebook pages now! Please tag your friends and ‘like’ the photos and the Cancerkin page while you’re there. We’d love you to share your pictures and your experiences of the day with us, so please contact me at l.smith@cancerkin.org.uk – the best stories and photos will be posted online!

Our wonderful walkers are now busy collecting their sponsorship money – thank you to those who have already sent theirs in! We have already raised almost £17,000 and this total is climbing every day. Please note that the deadline for returning monies is Monday 15th August. On this day we will count up the grand total and announce our top three fundraisers. Each winner will be awarded with luxury products kindly donated by Floris. Please remember to make all cheques payable to Cancerkin and avoid sending cash in the post. Please contact l.smith@cancerkin.org.uk if you have any queries about sponsorship.

June lectures at Cancerkin

Next Tuesday, 28th June from 11am – 1pm, we are pleased to welcome Dr Anmol Malhotra MB BS BSc(Hons) MRCP FRCR, Consultant Radiologist and Clinical Lead at the Royal Free Hospital who will give a lecture on recent developments in breast imaging at our second June lecture. This special event at the Cancerkin Centre is open to all patients and supporters and we would love to see you there. Spaces are limited so please contact Una on 0207 830 2323 or u.reynolds@cancerkin.org.uk if you are interested in attending.

Cancerkin’s latest addition…

We are thrilled to welcome our new finance officer Intern, Krupi Mehta, to the Cancerkin Team. Krupi has just graduated from the University of Westminster with a first class honours degree in Accounting and Business Management and she will now be assisting with our finances, accounts and IT over the next few months. Congratulations on your degree and welcome to Cancerkin, Krupi!

Therapies update…

Please note that pilates classes will be taking a break over the summer. The last session before the break will be on Thursday 7th July 2011 at 1.30pm, and classes will recommence on Thursday 8th September 2011 at 1.30pm.

In the News.....

Can a low carb diet prevent or slow cancer?

Many different theories exist about how our diets and the food we eat can affect our risk of developing cancer or can impact upon the growth of cancerous tumours. The latest research to emerge on the topic was published last week in the journal Cancer Research and suggests that a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet could help to slow the growth of tumours and even prevent cancer from developing.

Scientists in Canada reached this conclusion firstly by looking at the effects of two different diets on a group of mice that had cancer. One group of mice was given a typical Western diet, composed of 55 per cent carbohydrate, 23 percent protein and 22 percent fat. Another was given a low-carb, high-protein diet made up of 15 percent carbohydrate, 58 percent protein and 26 percent fat. The growth of tumours was found to be slower in the mice on the low-carb diet than those on the Western one. Researchers then repeated the same experiment on mice who were genetically predisposed to breast cancer. Of these mice, almost 50 percent of those on the Western diet developed breast cancer within their first year of life and only one mouse in this group reached the full life span of two years. None of the mice on the low-carb diet developed breast cancer as quickly and more that 50 percent reached or exceeded normal life expectancy. Lead researcher, Dr Gerald Krystal suggested that the reason behind the study’s results was related to the fuel cancer cell required for growth. Tumour cells need more glucose than healthy cells to grow and a low-carbohydrate diet may help to deprive tumour cells of both glucose and insulin, slowing their development. He also speculated that a low-carbohydrate, high-protein diet may boost the immune system's ability to kill cancer cells.

As always, such claims must be approached with caution. In response to the study, Cancer Research UK was quick to highlight that the research is still in its infancy. Jessica Harris, senior health information officer at Cancer Research UK, said: "This study was done in mice, so it doesn't tell us whether such a diet would have a similar effect in humans. There is a substantial amount of evidence that eating a healthy, balanced diet that's high in fibre, fruit and vegetables and low in red and processed meat, saturated fat and salt could reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer, but it's far too soon to add this dietary pattern to the list."

To read more from CRUK, please click here.

Earlier menarche means increased risk of breast cancer…

Through its Breakthrough Generations Study, which is currently following over 110,000 women living in the UK over a number of decades, breast cancer research charity Breakthrough Breast Cancer has found that teenage girls, particularly those from a lower socio-economic background, are starting their periods earlier. As reported in On the pulse last October, this is a worrying trend, as much research has shown that early menarche is linked to an increased risk of developing breast cancer.

Data collected in the study shows that, generally, in girls born in the late 1980s and 1990s, the age at which they have their first period has dropped. In girls born before this time, the average age of menarche had remained the same for several decades. In girls born at the start of the 20th century, the average age was 13.5 years, then 12.6 years for those born in the 1940s. This age remained the same until it dropped again to 12.3 years for girls born in the 1980s. The drop in age has been found to be most pronounced in those from a poorer background. The age at which a girl’s periods start is linked to their body weight. In a society struggling with childhood obesity, the drop in age may well be related to increasing numbers of overweight children, particularly in lower socio-economic backgrounds.

Study author Danielle Morris, from The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) in Sutton, Surrey, said: “These results suggest that girls, particularly from poorer backgrounds, are starting their periods younger. While we don’t know all the reasons behind this, changes in diet may have played a part. This decrease is important because the age at which a girl starts her periods can influence her chances of developing breast cancer later in life.” Professor Anthony Swerdlow, from the ICR and co-leader of the Breakthrough Generations Study, added: “Incidence of breast cancer has risen progressively over a long time in the UK. We think these changes have come about through a combination of factors each of which individually makes a small difference. Understanding how these factors influence a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer should allow us to develop strategies for preventing the disease in the future.”

To read more from Breakthrough Breast Cancer’s website, please click here.

Laura Smith

24th June 2011

Cancerkin's News Update.....

Hyde Park Walk this Sunday!

After months of planning and preparation, Cancerkin’s big walk around Hyde Park is finally here! We have been taking last minute entries all week and are expecting a turn out of over 200 walkers. The weather forecast is set for sunshine (fingers crossed no rain!) and the Cancerkin team is looking forward to seeing you all there.

If you have not yet registered but still want to get involved, do not worry, you can register on the day. Just come along to the Hyde Park Bandstand from 9am to sign up and receive you free Cancerkin T-shirt. The walk will then start at 10.30am. Drinks from Sainsbury’s and Ocean Spray will be provided and marshals will be around the course to answer any questions. Please do be sure to bring along sun-cream, hats and anything else you may need and you are welcome to bring a picnic for afterwards. We are able to store this for you but please note there are no refrigeration services available.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at anytime on

l.smith@cancerkin.org.uk.

June lectures at Cancerkin

On Tuesday 28th June from 11am – 1pm Dr Anmol Malhotra MB BS BSc(Hons) MRCP FRCR, Consultant Radiologist and Clinical Lead at the Royal Free Hospital will give a lecture about recent developments in breast imaging here at the Cancerkin centre. He will then be taking questions from the audience. This special event is open to all patients and supporters.

If you would like to attend the lecture, please contact Una on 0207 830 2323 or u.reynolds@cancerkin.org.uk.

Therapies update…

We would like to thank our Drama Therapist Christine Fox for her efforts in running such a fantastic series of Drama workshops here at Cancerkin, with all those who took part saying how much they enjoyed the sessions. Classes have now finished but we hope to see Christine back at Cancerkin again in the near future.

We would also like to send our congratulations to Alexander Technique Therapist Kate Fun, who gave birth to a beautiful baby boy, Benjamin, on Saturday. We wish Kate and Benjamin all the best!

In the News.....

As has been reported in On the pulse in recent months, much research has been published about breast cancer surgery and age. Research has found that the older a patient is, the less likely they are to have surgery, and further data presented this week at the National Cancer Intelligence Network (NCIN) conference supports these findings and has found that differences in surgery rates by age cannot be fully attributed to age-related ill health caused by other diseases.

A team of researchers led by Dr Katrina Lavelle at the University of Manchester examined the records of over 23,000 women with breast cancer, to discover the extent to which women over the age of 70 were less likely to receive surgery was due to other illnesses. The women examined were all diagnosed with the disease between 1997 and 2005 and lived in the West Midlands, Yorkshire and the North East of England. Results showed that overall rates of surgery dropped off with age and that women who did have other illnesses were less likely to have surgery. However, even once ill health related to other diseases had been taken into account, researchers found that the likelihood of surgery still decreased with age. More than 85 per cent of women aged 65 to 70 received surgery as part of their treatment. This figure fell to 70 per cent in those over 70, and to only 50 per cent in those over 80. Older patients were also less likely to have surgery if they were from a deprived area.

Dr Katrina Lavelle said of the findings: “Previous research has shown that older women are less likely to have surgery for breast cancer compared with younger patients. Surgery to remove breast tumours is one of the most effective ways to treat this cancer so it’s important to get a better understanding of what lies behind these differences. This research suggests that the presence of other illnesses, which we know increases with age, does not fully explain the difference in treatment between older and younger patients. The good news is that over the time period we looked at, the numbers of women over 65 having surgery did rise from 68 per cent to 75 per cent.

Our ongoing research, funded by the Breast Cancer Campaign and the National Institute for Health Research, is investigating the extent to which the lack of surgery amongst older women is due to things like overall frailty or patient choice. We are also developing statistical techniques to help to decide which treatment is likely to be the most appropriate based on patient choice, health and acceptable risk, rather than age”

To read more, please click here.

Laura Smith

On the pulse

Cancerkin’s news…


Hyde Park Walk update...

The big walk round Hyde Park is now just over a week away and the Cancerkin Team is looking forward to seeing you all there! We are still taking last minute entries for the walk on Sunday 19th June so if you have not yet registered, there is still time to do so – just send in your registration form as soon as you can. To download an entry form, please visit our website.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at anytime on l.smith@cancerkin.org.uk.


June lectures at Cancerkin

In June, Cancerkin is pleased to be holding two special events open to all patients and supporters.

On Tuesday 28th June from 11am – 1pm Dr Anmol Malhotra MB BS BSc(Hons) MRCP FRCR, Consultant Radiologist and Clinical Lead at the Royal Free Hospital will give a lecture about recent developments in breast imaging and will take questions from the audience. If you would like to attend, please contact Una on 0207 830 2323 or u.reynolds@cancerkin.org.uk.

On Monday 6 June, Mr Mohammed Keshtgar MBBS BSc FRCSI FRCSC(Gen) PhD, Consultant Surgical Oncologist at the Royal Free and Whittington Hospitals gave a fascinating lecture at the Cancerkin Centre on the topic of ‘Breast cancer management: what the future holds’. Mr Keshtgar explained new research and developments currently being made in the field of breast cancer management before taking a lively question and answer session. We would like to thank him for sharing his time and expertise with us.


Integrated Cancer System Event next week

There will be an Integrated Cancer System event organised by UCL Partners taking place on 14th June from 5.30-7.30pm in the Sheila Sherlock Centre at the Royal Free. Integrated Cancer Systems are replacing the provider components of cancer networks and Tuesday’s event will explain what is happening to them, as well as acting as a public consultation and a chance for attendees to share their views. The event is open to patients and the public. For information and details about how to register, please click here.


Art workshop at Cancerkin

Mary-Anne Paterson will be holding an art therapy workshop this Tuesday, 14th June, 11am to 4pm at the Cancerkin centre. The session is specifically for those who have been to at least one art therapy class before and there will be a charge of £5 per person to cover the costs of materials. If you are interested in attending, please call Una on 0207 830 2323 or u.reynolds@cancerkin.org.uk.


In the news…

Report finds lower breast cancer survival rates amongst poorer women

New research published this week has revealed that poorer women who come from more deprived areas are less likely to survive breast cancer than their more affluent counterparts, due to late diagnosis of the disease. The ‘All Breast Cancer Report’, conducted by the National Cancer Intelligence Network (NCIN) is the first in-depth analysis in the UK that examines how treatment and the route of diagnosis – either via breast screening or symptoms of breast cancer being presented to a GP – affect the likelihood of surviving the disease in women from different socio-economic backgrounds.

The comprehensive analysis of breast cancer patients examined information on how long women survived and how they were diagnosed, and data regarding their socio-economic background. Within this, women were split into five groups of differing levels of poverty, ranging from the most affluent to the most deprived. There was little difference found between the groups amongst those diagnosed with breast cancer through the national breast cancer screening programmes across the UK. Ninety nine percent of women in the most affluent group survived the disease for at least 5 years compared with 94 percent of those in the most deprived group that were diagnosed in this way. However, a significant difference was found between the groups in patients whose route of diagnosis was via symptoms presented to a doctor, for example in women who found they had a lump and consequently visited a GP. 83 percent of the most affluent group survived for at least five years, in comparison with 68 percent of in the most deprived group of women diagnosed in this way – a difference of 15 percent.

The huge disparity in survival is ascribed to late diagnosis. Through missed screenings, less awareness of breast cancer symptoms or hesitance about seeing a doctor, poorer women have been found to be less likely to survive because they are diagnosed at a later stage when breast cancer is more advanced. Treatment is as a result more aggressive and even the best treatments available are less likely to be successful.

Gill Lawrence, director of the West Midlands Cancer Intelligence Unit and report author, said of its results: “These figures show that even though a greater number of affluent women develop breast cancer every year, poorer women are more likely to die from the disease. Not going for screening and delays in going to the doctor mean that less affluent women are being diagnosed with later stage cancers which need more invasive surgery and are far less likely to be treated with breast conserving surgery. But, if these women attend screening, are breast aware and go to their doctor as soon as they notice anything unusual for them such as a lump or changes to the nipple like a rash or dimpling there’s no reason why poorer women shouldn’t have the same chance of survival as more affluent women.”

To read the NCIN press release click here, or to read the Cancer Research UK science blog, click here. Cancerkin’s East London breast cancer awareness project is very much focused on this disparity of outcomes: the one year breast cancer mortality rate in East London is significantly higher than in more wealthy parts of London.

Laura Smith

10^th June 2011

On the pulse


Cancerkin’s news…


Hyde Park Walk update...

Cancerkin’s walk around Hyde Park Sunday 19th June is now just weeks away! We would like to take this opportunity to thank our generous sponsors who are supporting the event: GAM, an investment management firm who have kindly funded the printing of our T-shirts, Sainsburys who will be providing bottled water for our thirsty walkers, Ocean Spray who have donated cranberry juice and packets of cranberries to keep up energy levels and Floris who are supplying fabulous prizes for the three walkers who raise the most. Thank you!

We are still taking entries for the Walk so if you have not yet registered for the walk, there is still time to do so – just send in your registration form as soon as you can. To download an entry form, please visit our website, or you can request for a form to be sent to you in the post.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at anytime on l.smith@cancerkin.org.uk.


Internship opportunity at Cancerkin...

Are you or do you know of a bright, enthusiastic graduate who would be interested in working at Cancerkin? We are looking for such a candidate to begin an Accounts, IT and Office Manager internship starting in June. To find out more please visit the graduate talent pool website. To apply, please send a CV and covering letter, clearly stating why you want this internship and what you feel you can bring to the role, to v.todd@cancerkin.org.uk.


June lectures at Cancerkin

In June, Cancerkin is please to be holding two special events open to all patients and supporters.

On Monday 6th June from 3pm - 5pm, Mr Mohammed Keshtgar MBBS BSc FRCSI FRCSC(Gen) PhD, Consultant Surgical Oncologist at the Royal Free and Whittington Hospitals will be giving a lecture entitled ‘Breast cancer management: what the future holds’ here at the Cancerkin Centre. The lecture will be followed by a question and answer session.

Then on Tuesday 28th June from 11am – 1pm, Dr Anmol Malhotra MB BS BSc(Hons) MRCP FRCR, Consultant Radiologist and Clinical Lead at the Royal Free Hospital, will be talking about recent developments in breast imaging, before taking questions from the audience.

If you would like to attend either of these lectures or have any questions please contact Una on 0207 830 2323 or u.reynolds@cancerkin.org.uk.


In the news…

Breakthrough in triple negative research

Around one in six women with breast cancer in the UK are affected by triple negative breast cancer – that amounts to around 8,000 patients a year. This kind of breast cancer tends to be more aggressive and difficult to treat, as the cancers do not have hormone receptors of HER2 receptors. The lack of receptors means that tumours do not respond to targeted therapies such as Herceptin or hormone therapies like tamoxifen and treatment options for this group of patients are currently limited.

In an exciting new study published this week in The Journal of Clinical Investigation, US researchers have identified overactive genes in triple negative breast cancers which could provide a new drug target for such tumours. Scientists at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in the US have succeeded in identifying a pool of 15 genes that are required by triple negative breast cancer cells to grow. Although only in the early stages of their research, scientists think that the discovery of the genes could potentially lead to the development of the first targeted treatment for triple negative breast cancer.

Dr Caitlin Palframan, Policy Manager at Breakthrough Breast Cancer, said of the study: “This research is very exciting as new treatments for triple negative breast cancer are urgently needed. There are limited treatment options available for this group of patients so a targeted treatment would be a real breakthrough. However, this is early stage research in mice and we look forward to seeing if this approach will prove effective in the upcoming clinical trials.”

To read an article in The Telegraph, click here, or to read more from Breakthrough Breast Cancer, click here.


New drug for advanced breast cancer

A new drug called Eribulin (or Havalen by its brand name) has now been launched in the UK after it was approved for use last month. The chemotherapy drug is designed to treat patients with advanced breast cancer and may be given to patients who have been given other treatments without success or who are unable to take two common types of chemotherapy drugs, amthrocycline and taxane.

Eribulin is a chemotherapy drug that is derived from chemicals found in sea sponges. The drug functions by binding itself to microtubules, structures that allow cell division. By binding the microtubules, the drug leaves cancer cells unable to divide and forces them to self-destruct. Other chemotherapy drugs also do this but but the way in which Eribulin works is currently unique.

Research into the drug suggests that Eribulin may help to extend the lives of breast cancer patients whose cancer has spread to other parts of their bodies. The recent phase III ‘EMBRACE’ trial into the drug examined 762 patients with metastatic breast cancer and found that women who were given Eribulin lived for a median of 13.1 months compared to women who were given a standard treatment recommended by their doctor who lived for a median of 10.6 months.

Dr Andrew Wardley, consultant medical oncologist and co-chair of the Breast Group at the Christie Hospital in Manchester, said: "Eribulin addresses an urgent need for new treatment options for women with advanced breast cancer who have previously received multiple treatments." Julia Frater, senior information nurse at Cancer Research UK, said: "It's really good to hear new treatments for breast cancer are being licensed and we look forward to seeing NICE's final appraisal decision. Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in the UK so it's vital that we continue to look for different ways to treat the disease."
To read a Cancer Research UK press release, please click here.

Laura Smith 3rd June 2011