Cancerkin's News Update.....

‘The Last of the Duchess’ tickets…

We have a limited number of tickets left for Cancerkin’s evening at the Hampstead Theatre for a performance of ‘The Last of the Duchess’ on 31st October 2011. To buy tickets, you can call Laura on 020 7830 2323, or you can complete a ticket form, which you will have received in the post or which you can download from our website.

Cancerkin’s top fundraisers…

We have counted up all the sponsorship raised by our amazing 2011 Hyde Park Walkers and we are now pleased to announce the winners of the top three fundraising spots (drum roll please!): in first place, raising over £3,000, is Linda Cohen. A very close second is Debra Franses-Bean, who raised just over £2,700, and in third place is Sue Glasser, with just over £2,500. Well done to these wonderful women – we are so grateful for all the time and hard work they have put in. Thank you so much!

Cancerkin would also like to give a special mention this week to another of its supporters, Daniel Taylor, who has raised £744 for Cancerkin in a rather unusual way. Dan agreed to wax off his beard in aid of Cancerkin and for his legs to undergo the same treatment. We commend Dan for his bravery and thank him for all the effort he put into his fundraising. Well done and thank you Dan!

If you are interested in getting involved with fundraising for Cancerkin (but in a slightly less painful way!), there are plenty of things that you might like to do. You could organise a car boot sale, a coffee morning, an ‘own clothes day’ at your children’s school, a sponsored cycle or even a marathon. We are always here to help with your ideas and give advice on how best to maximise your fundraising efforts. Please contact Laura on l.smith@cancerkin.org.uk if you would like to discuss an idea – we would love to hear from you!

Therapies update…

The Cancerkin Centre will be closed for the Bank Holiday next Monday 29th August, so there will be no activities taking place. We will re-open on Tuesday 30th as usual but please note there will be no patient support group on this day.

On 19th September 2011 from 10am – 3pm, Lily Seibold will be hosting a creative writing class focusing on the theme of ‘September.’ If you are interested in attending, please contact Una on u.reynolds@cancerkin.org.uk or 0207 830 2323.

In the News.....

“Golden Era” of cancer research as new genetics study is launched...

An important trial that will genetically test the tumours of 9,000 newly diagnosed breast, bowel, lung, prostate, melanoma and ovarian cancer patients is about to be launched next month in seven UK hospitals. The study will aim to find out which existing cancer drugs work on tumours according to their genetic make up and to identify new treatments that are personalised to each individual’s cancer. Most medicines work for certain people and not for others, and will perhaps work for only a small number. This is certainly true of cancer treatments and the study hopes to find out why. Each individual’s DNA is different and so is that of their cancer tumours, and this influences which drugs will work and how effective chemotherapy and radiation will be.

During the study, each tumour will undergo a series of genetic tests. Some tests, such as that for the HER2 enzyme which indicates whether breast cancer patients will respond to Herceptin, are already widely used, but others are not. The trial will test how feasible it is to introduce genetic tests for all cancer patients. It will also provide a database for future research by following patients’ progress. It may even identify certain drugs which have fallen out of use because of their small impact on large groups but which may now be beneficial to certain patients.

In reaction to the study, Chief Executive of Cancer Research UK Harpal Kumar described research into the disease being in a ‘golden era’. He described "an explosion in our understanding of what cancer is, why it happens, why it doesn't happen in some people and why it moves around the body." He said of the trial: "People have known for years that we give treatment and it is only going to work for 20% of people and we are now on the cusp of finding out what is going on."

To read more from The Guardian, please click here.

Natural bacteria may help block cancer growth...

Another new piece of research published this week in journal Nature Chemistry has found that a naturally occurring molecule in bacteria can help switch off the growth of breast cancer cells. The molecule, named thiostrepton, blocks the cancer causing protein FOXM1. The protein is responsible for switching on genes that control breast cancer cell growth and division, causing tumours to grow and spread. Blocking the protein can therefore help to prevent the development and growth of cancer cells. Scientists hope that the molecule will eventually lead to new treatment options for breast cancer patients.

The study’s lead author, Professor Shankar Balasubramanian, from Cancer Research UK said of the discovery: "Before this research we weren't aware of any natural product which could directly target a protein that controls gene activity. Yet intriguingly a molecule in bacteria – which also has strong antibiotic effects – does this very well, switching off cancer-causing genes in breast cancer cells."

Dr Lesley Walker, CRUK’s director of cancer information, said: "It's fascinating to discover how a simple bacteria could hold the key to powerful new approaches to treat breast cancer developing and spreading."

To read the full article in The Independent, please click here.

Laura Smith
26th August 2011