On the pulse - 25th November 2011

On the pulse...

Cancerkin's News Update.....

The Big Give and Cancerkin...

As we announced last week, this Christmas there is an exciting opportunity to make your generosity to Cancerkin go twice as far. Cancerkin is taking part in the Big Give Christmas Challenge on Monday 5th December 2011. The Pink Ribbon Foundation and the Big Give have generously pledged to match every online donation made on that day pound for pound. Our target is to raise £5,000, which means we stand to receive an incredible £10,000.

Please do put the date in your diary. This is a unique fundraising event and the proceeds will enable us to continue providing care and emotional support to those with breast cancer. We do hope you will be able to support us. For more information, please contact Laura on l.smith@cancerkin.org.uk.

Cancerkin also has an item up for sale in the Big Give’s Charity Christmas Auction – a 1969 Lynn Chadwick print, framed and signed by the artist. Chadwick was a celebrated British artist and sculptor, and the piece was kindly donated to Cancerkin to raise funds. The online auction will run from 8pm on Sunday 27th November to 8pm on Sunday 4th December 2011. If you would like to know more, please click here.

Festivities at Cancerkin...

Our annual Christmas Tombola will be on Wednesday 7th December 2011 from 10am to 4pm outside the Atrium at the Royal Free Hospital. New prizes have been added this week, including meals at le Pain Quotidien, ice cream at Gelato Mio and tickets to the Everyman Cinema. There will also be lots of lovely festive gifts, cards, books and, of course, mince pies on offer in our sale. If you would like to donate a prize or would like to volunteer at the tombola, please contact Laura on l.smith@cancerkin.org.uk or call 0207 830 2323.

In other festive news, Cancerkin has been selected as the lucky charity to benefit from funds raised at the Finchley Women’s Institute ‘Frost Fair’. The fair is on Saturday 3rd December 2011 at Avenue House on East End Road, Finchley from 10am-4pm, entry £1. There will be gifts, toys and scrumptious cakes on sale, so why not pop in for a cup of tea and a bit of shopping.

Cancerkin is also thrilled to be the chosen charity for the St John’s Wood Church Chamber Choir’s annual carol singing collection at the St John’s Wood Underground Station. The choir will be braving the December cold to entertain passersby with a selection of festive carols on Monday 12th December from 5pm. Please do watch out for them on your way past, or you might even like to join in.


In the News.....

Research into genetic testing underway...

Cancer Research UK has this week announced it has started recruiting participants for its nationwide research project into the potential benefits of genetic testing for cancer patients. The project aims to demonstrate how the NHS could use genetic testing of cancers to match patients to the best available treatments. It will also provide a database of information for research into new targeted drugs.

The ‘Stratified Medicine Programme’ will ask 9,000 patients from more than 20 hospitals to participate in the first stage of the project. So far 240 patients have agreed to take part. The research will focus on six types of cancer: breast, bowel, lung, prostate, ovarian and melanoma skin cancer. A small sample from each patient’s tumour will be taken, from which DNA will be extracted and analysed for a range of molecular faults linked with cancer. Researchers will store these results and other clinical information so that they can monitor possible relationships between specific genetic faults in cancer cells and success of different treatments. Patients’ treatment will not be altered in any way at this stage but the hope is that scientists will be able to use the information collected to design better targeted treatments in the future.

One of the first patients to be taking part, Wendy Payne,55, from Cambridge and who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in March this year, said of the project: “I was very keen to take part in the Stratified Medicine Programme because I think much more can and should be done to help patients get the right drugs in future. Finding out I had cancer was terrifying but it’s incredible to think that the tumour which could have killed me can now be used to develop more targeted drugs in future. Even though I won’t benefit from that research, it’s comforting to think that my experience with cancer will be helping others who are diagnosed in future.”

James Peach, director of Cancer Research UK’s Stratified Medicine Programme, said: “In the ten years since the Human Genome Project was completed we’ve made huge progress in unraveling the genetic basis of cancer and understanding what drives it at a molecular level. We know that prescribing certain drugs according to the genetic basis of the tumour can improve the chances of successful treatment. And by hardwiring research into the day-to-day care of cancer patients, we can harness the power of the NHS to bring personalised medicine a step closer to reality.”

To read more, please click here.


Laura Smith

On the pulse - 18th November 2011

On the pulse

Cancerkin's News Update.....

The Big Give and Cancerkin...

This Christmas, our supporters will have the chance to double their donation to Cancerkin – for free! Cancerkin is very excited to be taking part in the Big Give Christmas Challenge on Monday 5th December 2011, raising funds for emotional support and care for women with breast cancer, and we are fortunate to be supported by the Pink Ribbon Foundation. For every online donation made on that day, the Pink Ribbon Foundation and the Big Give itself have pledged to match it pound for pound. Our target is to raise £5,000, which means we will receive an incredible £10,000.

Please do put the date in your diary. This is an amazing fundraising opportunity which will enable us to continue providing care and emotional support to those with breast cancer. We do hope you will be able to support us. For more information, please contact Laura on l.smith@cancerkin.org.uk

Christmas Tombola...

We have had some fabulous prizes donated to our annual Christmas Tombola, which will be on Wednesday 7th December 2011 from 10am to 4pm outside the Atrium at the Royal Free Hospital. There is the chance to win a haircut at Enz hair salon, a Family meal at Hampstead Tea Rooms, a session of reflexology at Belsize Health complementary medicine clinic, book vouchers from Daunt Books and many more. There will also be lots of lovely gifts, cards, books and, of course, mince pies on offer in our sale. We do hope to see you there.

If you, your business or workplace would like to donate a prize, we would love to hear from you. Past donations have ranged from cinema tickets and restaurant vouchers to boxes of chocolate and gift sets. We are also looking for helpers to join our wonderful team of volunteers on the day. If you are free for an hour or two on 7th December, we would love to hear from you. Please contact Laura at l.smith@cancerkin.org.uk or call 0207 830 2323.


In the News.....


New evidence of DNA Repair Targeting Drug...

A few weeks ago, On The Pulse reported on the inherited BRCA1 and BRCA2 faulty genes and the genetic links between breast cancer risk and family members. Last week, research presented at the NRCI Cancer Conference in Liverpool indicated that scientist have developed a new way of destroying cancer cells containing these faulty BRCA genes, by blocking an enzyme in the gene which repairs DNA. Researchers at the University of Nottingham have found that blocking a DNA repair enzyme, called APE1, could enable a new way to kill cancer cells with the faulty BRCA gene.

Normal BRCA genes control a major DNA repair pathway. Those cells with the damaged BRCA have faulty repair functions. This means that damaged cells can multiply out of control and accumulate faults, which in turn increases the risk of developing breast cancer. However, too much of this damage can lead to cell death. By blocking the repair enzyme APE1, two repair routes are stopped simultaneously causing a build up of faults which ultimately leads to the cancer cells death.

Blocking two repair routes at once is a technique already being used with a new class of drugs called PARP inhibitors. Research suggests the APE1 could provide an additional drug target.
Baroness Delyth Morgan, Chief Executive of Breast Cancer Campaign, which part-funded the research, said: "With up to ten per cent of all breast cancers thought to result from faulty BRCA1 and/or 2 genes, new treatments for these patients could possibly help up to 4,800 of the women diagnosed with the disease in the UK each year. Currently there are limited options available to them and this potential new treatment, although at an early stage could provide a real lifeline and a better chance of survival, which can only be good news.”

To read Breast Cancer Campaign's article please click here.


Laura Smith 18th November 2011

On the pulse - 11th November 2011

On the pulse...


Cancerkin's News Update.....


Christmas is coming...

The festive season is fast approaching and Cancerkin is gearing up for its holiday celebrations. We will be holding our annual Christmas Tombola and sale on Wednesday 7th December 2011 from 10am to 4pm outside the Atrium at the Royal Free Hospital. Last year prizes ranged from boxes of chocolates to bottles of champagne and meals for two, and we hope this year will be even better! There will also be lots of lovely gifts, cards, books and, of course, mince pies on offer. We do hope to see you there.

If you would like to donate a prize – perhaps a box of chocolates or a gift set – please do get in touch. Maybe your business or workplace would be interested in helping make the event a success – past donations have included cinema tickets, restaurant vouchers and hair cuts. Please contact Laura at l.smith@cancerkin.org.uk or call 0207 830 2323 to find out more.


We are also looking for helpers to join our wonderful team of volunteers on the day. We need help running the tombola, holding collection tins and handing out mince pies. If you are free for an hour or two on 7th December, we would love to hear from you. Please contact Laura at l.smith@cancerkin.org.uk or call 0207 830 2323.


Therapies update...

This month’s patient support group will take place on Tuesday 29th November 2011 from 11am to 1pm. From 11am, the group will be visited by Ansuya Padhiar, a representative from leading mastectomy lingerie and swimwear provider Nicola Jane. From 12pm, wig and hair piece specialists Trendco will join the group.


Also on 29th November Cancerkin will run a pilot art therapy class from 1.30pm to 3pm. The class will be facilitated by Kirsty Nicholson, who has a Masters in Art Therapy from Roehampton University, is registered with the Health Professionals Council and is a member of the British Association of Art Therapists.


To reserve your place at either session, please contact Una on 020 7830 2323 or u.reynolds@cancerkin.org.uk.



In the News.....



More support needed from employers...

A breast cancer diagnosis can have implication for a woman’s job and financial situation. A review on the employment experiences of over 1,000 breast cancer patients from all over the world was published this week with interesting findings. Dr Maggi Banning from Brunel University in the UK carried out the review of ten different studies conducted between 1991 and 2010 in the USA, Canada, the UK, Sweden and Denmark, revealing a number of important trends in the experiences of breast cancer patients upon their return to work after treatment.

The review showed that some women welcomed the structure and distraction brought about by the return to work and a normal routine, whilst others were concerned about their physical capacity for work after treatment and about their employers’ expectations. Around half of the women in the study could no longer afford to stay out of work, some missed treatment sessions to prevent taking time off, and lack of sick pay and concerns about losing their job and were prevalent. Some felt the importance of their work or their work aspirations had changed or reduced. Many women found treatment side-effects affected their health and some struggled with loss of confidence and emotional problems.

In terms of employer’s attitudes to women returning after breast cancer, findings were mixed. Employer’s expectations of the women’s work capacity varied, and while some employers and colleagues were found to be supportive, others were not. Some women were able to change roles or reduce working hours but others were refused this, with certain employers even insisting they resign or retire. Some women found employers and colleagues judged them upon or were misled by their physical appearance, leading to a lack of sympathy and support and many people not realising the residual effects of treatment.

The review makes a number of recommendations for both employers and health professionals to better manage the process of returning to work. Its states that employers need better education to avoid the ‘culture of ignorance’ that seems to exist, occupational health departments need to conduct ‘fitness to work’ assessments on employees with cancer and need to supply managers with guidelines of what to expect from them. Olivia Marks-Woldman, Head of Policy and Campaigns at Breast Cancer Care said of the study: “being diagnosed with breast cancer can have a major impact on many areas of a person’s life, including their employment, so it’s concerning to see women are facing unrealistic expectations from others in the workplace and might not have support from their colleagues when they return to work”.

To read more on the review, please click here and here.


Laura Smith

On the pulse - 4th November 2011

On the pulse

Cancerkin's News Update.....

The Last of the Duchess...

On Monday, Cancerkin and its supporters spent an evening at the theatre for a special performance of ‘The Last of the Duchess’ in honour of breast cancer awareness month. We all very much enjoyed the play, which starred actor and breast cancer survivor Sheila Hancock. Ms Hancock met with a number of our guests after the performance to show her support of Cancerkin. Click here to see photos from the evening.

The event was a great success and we hope all those who attended enjoyed the evening as much as we did. We are pleased to announce that all in all we have raised over £12,000. Thank you all for supporting us! We would like to thank all those who donated such wonderful prizes to our raffle – Ana Maria Pires, Bradley’s Restaurant, Daniel Adams Hairdressers, Floris of London, Pizza Express, Ozzis Hair Studio and the Hampstead Theatre - and well done to our lucky raffle winners! Cancerkin would also like to say a special thank you to Royal Free Hospital photographer David Bishop, who took such beautiful photographs of the evening and who helps Cancerkin with so many of its events and promotions. Thank you once again David.

Maggie’s Getting Started workshop...

Also on Monday, Cancerkin was excited to host Maggie’s ‘Getting started with cancer treatment’ workshop, lead by the Centre Head of Maggie’s London and clinical nurse specialist, Bernie Byrne. 13 women attended the workshop, designed for those who have been recently diagnosed with cancer. The session provided information to help those affected by the disease better understand their cancer treatment, manage their side effects and focus on their wellbeing. Feedback from our patients has been extremely positive and we would like to thank Bernie for leading such an informative and positive workshop.

Calling all glamorous givers...

Cancerkin is thrilled to announce an exciting new partnership with innovative social enterprise Glamgiving. Glamgiving collects and sells high quality designer fashion and donates the proceeds to a good cause. It gives clothes that are just too good for the charity shop a second life and ensures that they go for the price they deserve. Glamgiving helps to organise ‘glam parties’ at which guests can donate and buy high-end fashion pieces, as well as collecting individual donations of clothes to be sold through its website, which is due to be fully launched early next year. To find out more, click here.

Cancerkin has been selected as Glamgiving’s launch partner charity and funds raised by the initiative will finance a day of treatment in our specialised lymphoedema clinic and a professional counsellor to oversee our North and East London teams of ‘Experienced Patients’. We hope that our fashion conscious supporters will get involved with this initiative and consider becoming the host of their own ‘glam party’! Please contact Louise on lou@glamgiving.com if you would like to know how.

In the News.....

New research into breast cancer risk and family history...

Having a family history of breast cancer can affect an individual’s risk of developing the disease. A fault or mutation appearing on the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes can be inherited from a mother or father and can increase a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer by between 50 and 85 percent. When a woman is discovered to have a BRCA 1 or BRCA2 mutation, other female family members are routinely screened for the same mutation.

New research published this week in The Journal of Clinical Oncology has shown reassuring results for women with relatives who have the faulty breast cancer gene. Researchers at Stanford University looked at more than 3,000 families with a mutation. The research found that women who have relatives with the high risk BRCA gene mutation but who do not carry the mutation themselves are not at greater risk of developing the disease, as previously thought. An earlier study published in 2007 suggested that even when a woman who had family members carrying the gene mutation had tested negative for the mutation herself, she was still up to five times more likely to develop breast cancer. The most recent research contradicts this, suggesting that if women with high-risk family members test negative for the faulty BRCA gene, they have the same risk as the rest of the general population.

The research team believes these new finding may provide some reassurance to those women in high-risk families. Dr Harold Burstein, breast oncologist at Dana-Farber Institute at Boston said: “Women with a family history of breast cancer are understandably worried about their own risk of developing breast cancer. This study provides strong reassurance that 'no means no' when it comes to negative results on the BRCA1 / BRCA2 genetic tests for these patients. That is, despite the family history, the risk of breast cancer is not greater than that for ordinary women in similar circumstances when the genetic test is 'normal.'”

To read more, click here and here.

More on alcohol and breast cancer...

While it has long been acknowledged that alcohol is a risk factor for breast cancer, it has previously been unclear how drinking small amounts of alcohol affects risk. Results from a new American study, published this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association, suggest that even low-level alcohol consumption can significantly increase risk.

A team of researchers at Brigham and Women’s hospital in Boston in the US analysed data from 105,986 women in the ‘Nurses’ Health Study’. 7,600 of the participants went on to be diagnosed with breast cancer over an 18 year period. The team found that those who drank a low level amount of an average of three to six small drinks a week had an increased risk of around 15 percent when compared with those who did not drink at all. According to results, those who drank a more excessive amount of at least two drinks a day were 51 percent more likely to develop breast cancer.

Sarah Williams, health information officer at Cancer Research UK, said: "This study adds to already strong evidence that drinking even small amounts of alcohol increases the risk of breast cancer. Researchers found a small increased risk for low alcohol intake but the risk increases the more people drink. And the study re-confirmed that all types of alcohol - beer, wine and spirits - increase the risk of cancer. Cutting down on alcohol can reduce the chance of developing breast cancer - as can keeping a healthy weight and being physically active. A healthy lifestyle isn't a guarantee against cancer but it helps stack the odds in our favour."

To read more on this study, please click here.

Laura Smith 4th November 2011

On the pulse - 28th October 2011

On the pulse

Cancerkin's News Update.....

A night at the theatre...

Cancerkin is very much looking forward to its night out at Hampstead Theatre on Monday evening in honour of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. We will be welcoming over 200 of our friends and supporters for a performance of ‘The Last of The Duchess’ starring Sheila Hancock. To read a review of the play, please click here. To add to the evening’s entertainment, we will be hosting a drinks reception before the performance and a raffle with fabulous prizes to be won. We hope you are as excited as we are!

News from East London...

It has been an exciting week for Cancerkin’s East London Project Team. As part of the launch of its ‘Awareness Ambassadors’ programme, the team is running breast awareness training sessions for students recruited from the University of East London’s School of Health. Once trained, they will act as local advocates for breast awareness within their communities and will also work with Cancerkin to hold awareness events in East London. Two very successful sessions took place this week, with a third planned for next Friday.

The Team has also returned to St Joseph’s Hospice in Hackney today to continue their free complementary therapy sessions for women living with cancer in East London. Patients took part in a range of therapy sessions, including reiki, reflexology, art therapy and tai chi and yoga. They also held a breast awareness stall with information on breast awareness, screening and Cancerkin’s support services.

Many thanks to all at the University of East London and St Joseph’s Hospice for their ongoing support of Cancerkin’s East London Project.

Thank you from Cancerkin...

This Tuesday was our monthly patient support group. Nutritional therapist Marta Vasquez gave a very informative talk on the science behind the food we eat and answered questions on what we should include in our diet and what we should avoid. Our ‘Experienced Patients’ Judy Sanitt and Janet Reilly then shared their experiences of breast cancer with the group and answered questions on a wide range of topics. On behalf of the group, we would like to say a huge thank you to all three women for such an informative and interesting session.

In the News.....

Review of breast screening launched...

As you will all be aware, there has been widespread debate about the benefits and risks of breast screening in recent months. It is widely acknowledged that in terms of cancer treatment, the earlier found the better. Screening programmes, such as the NHS breast cancer screening programme, can help doctors to make that earlier diagnosis. However they also run the risk of false positives in healthy people and overtreatment of cancers that may never have become harmful to a person’s health. Recent research has suggested these risks may outweigh the benefits of breast screening, whilst the NHS maintains that the programmes saves 1400 lives a year in the UK.

In response to the ongoing controversy, Professor Sir Mike Richards, UK Cancer Tsar (who spoke at Cancerkin’s Annual Lecture earlier this year), announced on Wednesday that he will lead a review of evidence for and against breast screening, in the hope of settling the debate. He said of the review’s possible outcomes: "Should the independent review conclude that the balance of harms outweighs the benefits of breast screening, I will have no hesitation in referring the findings to the UK National Screening Committee and then ministers. I am fully committed to the public being given information in a format... that enables them to make truly informed choices."

The review will be lead jointly by Professor Richards and Cancer Research UK.The director of health information at CRUK, Sara Hiom, said of the review: "Women need more accurate, evidence-based and clear information to be able to make an informed choice about breast screening. The decision whether to be screened is a personal one, but that decision should be made with all of the potential harms and benefits fully explained." Meanwhile, a Department of Health spokesperson said: "Our advice has not changed - we urge all women to go for breast screening when invited. The best available evidence shows that screening saves lives by detecting cancers earlier than they would otherwise have been."

To listen to Professor Richards speak on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, click here. To read more about the review, please click here.

Radiotherapy and breast cancer recurrence...

The results of a large study into the effects of radiotherapy on the return of breast cancer, funded by Cancer Research UK, the British Heart Foundation and the Medical Research Council, were published this week in The Lancet journal. The data is a collation of the histories of all women who took part in 17 worldwide trials of radiotherapy given to patients after surgery, totalling over 10,000 women. Researcher founds that in the ten years following breast conserving surgery, radiotherapy could cut the rate at which breast cancer recurs by half.

Results showed 10 years after diagnosis, 35 percent of women who hadn't received radiotherapy had a recurrence of breast cancer. In those who had had radiotherapy, breast cancer returned in 19 percent of women. Whilst it is too early to draw definitive conclusions about radiotherapy’s effect on improving survival rates, the research suggests that by 15 years after diagnosis, 25 per cent of those who did not undergo the treatment had died, compared with 21 per cent of women who had had radiotherapy.

Professor Peter Johnson, Cancer Research UK's chief clinician, said of the study’s results: "This research confirms the lasting benefit of radiotherapy treatment after breast conserving surgery for women with breast cancer. It appears to be equally effective across all breast cancers, with most women benefitting when the risk of recurrence is highest - younger women and those with high-grade tumours. Radiotherapy is a vital cancer treatment.”

To read more, click here.

Laura Smith 28th October 2011