Cancerkin's News Update.....
News from East London
As part of our ongoing outreach project in East London, we held fortnightly complementary therapy sessions at St Josephs Hospice in Hackney and the Bromley by Bow Community Centre throughout 2011. We have had an overwhelmingly positive response to the sessions, our therapies and therapists and we now have dates at both venues planned throughout the year.
The project team is also working to raise awareness about breast cancer in East London, an area with one of the highest breast cancer mortality rates in the country. Last year we recruited and trained a group of local ‘Awareness Ambassador’ volunteers from the University of East London, who will work to encourage women in the area to become more breast aware. They are now undergoing shadowing sessions here at the Cancerkin Centre and will be on hand to give information and answer questions at future awareness events alongside our East London complementary therapy sessions.
To find out more about the project, please contact Asini on a.wijewardane@cancerkin.org.uk.
Support for young women
We are pleased to report that our monthly support groups for women under 45 are now up and running once again here at the Cancerkin Centre. We held our first session in December and we welcomed Senior Clinical Nurse Specialist Tina Kelleher from the Royal Free Hospital breast unit, who answered questions on a range of topics. The second session took place yesterday and again we were grateful for Tina Kelleher’s contribution. Judy Sanitt, one of our experienced patients who herself has recovered from breast cancer also participated. Feedback from the group has been very positive and we would like to thank our speakers for sharing their experiences and expertise.
We are planning future groups with a variety of speakers on topics such as genetics and fertility. If you would like to find our more or if there is a topic you would like to hear discussed at the group, please contact Una on u.reynolds@cancerkin.org.uk.
Volunteering opportunities
Over the next few weeks will we need some help folding letters and stuffing envelopes for our upcoming events. If you have a few spare hours and would like to volunteer, we would love to hear from you. As ever, lots of tea and biscuits will be provided. Please contact Laura on l.smith@cancerkin.org.uk.
In the News.....
New research into treatment for inherited breast and ovarian cancers...
Around five percent of all breast cancer cases are caused by faults in the BRAC1 and BRCA2 genes. Cancer Research UK has this week re-launched a trial into a new drug named Rucaparib, which may represent a new treatment option for women with advanced breast or ovarian cancer and who have faults in these high-risk genes.
Rucaparib belongs to a group of drugs called PARP Inhibitors, which work by blocking the way DNA damage is repaired, causing cancer cells to die. Research is currently being done into how the group of drugs can treat patients with breast, ovarian and prostate cancers. In this latest trial, advanced breast and ovarian cancer patients with faulty BRAC genes will take rucaparib as a daily tablet over 21 days, replacing a previous trial where the drug was administered intravenously. This is a much more convenient and comfortable way for patients to have treatment as they do not have to go to hospital to receive it.
Dr Nigel Blackburn, director of drug development at Cancer Research UK’s Drug Development Office, said: “It’s incredibly encouraging to launch a trial of this promising drug which is personalised to target the different genetic make-up of patients with breast and ovarian cancer. Providing the drug as a tablet will give patients a much improved quality of life. […] We hope that this new treatment approach will help extend the lives of women with breast and ovarian cancer. We look forward to the results with great interest.”
To read more about the trial, please clickhere.
Laura Smith 13th January 2012
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