bronze Posted January 11, 2009 Share Posted January 11, 2009 I am taking part in a trial for breast cancer research (Breakthrough Breast Cancer). As well as women affected by breast cancer, they want the details (& hopefully blood samples too) for healthy women over 18. They are particularly interested in women who are pre-menopausal, breast feeding or pregnant. This is the kind of long-term research which suggests that breast feeding / diet / alcohol consumption helps reduce the risk of breast cancer. One in nine women will be diagnosed with breast cancer, there are a fair few of you who could be at risk. Research is the only way to stop this disease so I would like to add as many other names as possible. The 45 minutes will be the time it takes to fill in the questionaire, plus they send two blood bottles so they can do tests. the blood test can be done at your surgery by the Dr, Nurse (or MW if you're pregnant), or if you're in London at the Marsden. You then send everything back in the package supplied. If anyone is interested, and willing to give 45 minutes for a good cause & no cost, can you pm me your details (full name, address, postcode) & I’ll pass them on to Breakthrough Breast Cancer who will be in touch with you. Thanks, Bron ps if you want to know more pm me too For those interested in the statistics... Breast cancer is the most common cancer in England. In 2004 there were around 36,900 new cases diagnosed. This represents 32 per cent of all cancers in women and is a rate of 121 cases per 100,000 women. Four in five new cases are diagnosed in women aged 50 and over, with the peak in the 55 to 64 age group. Around 10,300 women died from breast cancer in England in 2004, a rate of 28 deaths per 100,000 women. It is the second most common cause of cancer death in women, after lung. One in nine women will develop breast cancer at some point in their lives. Most of the known risk factors for breast cancer relate to a woman’s reproductive history such as early first period, late first pregnancy, low parity and late menopause. Oral contraceptive use, hormone replacement therapy (HRT), obesity and increased alcohol consumption also increase the risk. The breast screening programme was introduced in 1988 with the aim of reducing the number of women dying from breast cancer. Originally, breast screening was offered every three years to all women aged between 50 and 64, and to women aged 65 and over on request. From 2001, this began to be extended to women in England aged 65 to 70, and to women over 70 on request. Full national coverage for this older age group was achieved by the end of 2004. In 2004-05, three quarters of women aged 50-64 invited for screening in England underwent screening for breast cancer. Around 1.5 million women are screened each year. Incidence rates increased by 81 per cent between 1971 and 2004, and by 13 per cent in the ten years to 2004. Earlier detection and improved treatment has meant that survival rates have risen. Five-year survival was 81 per cent for women diagnosed in 1999-2003 in England. Survival from breast cancer is higher than that for cervical cancer and much higher than for the other major cancers in women - lung, colorectal and ovarian. For women diagnosed in 2001-03, 72 per cent are likely to survive for at least ten years. Survival is still decreasing more than ten years after diagnosis, however, and only 64 per cent are likely to survive for at least 20 years. Death rates gradually increased up to the mid-1980s and then began to fall around the time screening started. By 1998 mortality was around 20 per cent lower than it would have been without screening (based on predictions of pre-screening rates in various age groups). Falls occurred in all age groups, but were greatest in women aged 55 to 69. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurmurf Posted January 11, 2009 Share Posted January 11, 2009 I'm taking part in this too, Bron. It feels good to add to such a massive body of data and research! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted January 11, 2009 Share Posted January 11, 2009 Are they interested in only pre-menopausal women Bron? - I'm a bit more than that now..... I take part in EPIC as well - a long running trial, the request for that was for vegetarians as they already had lots of meat eaters and needed more of a balance at the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bronze Posted January 11, 2009 Author Share Posted January 11, 2009 From what I've read Lesley its any woman over 18 and the questionnaire I filled in had section for over 60s from what I can remember so they must be postmenopausal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted January 11, 2009 Share Posted January 11, 2009 I'm happy to do this. I get screened anyway because my half-sister died of breast cancer aged 40 but that doesn't help their research. I'll PM you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KAZAROO Posted January 11, 2009 Share Posted January 11, 2009 I'd love to take part! Am currently breast feeding Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted January 11, 2009 Share Posted January 11, 2009 From what I've read Lesley its any woman over 18 and the questionnaire I filled in had section for over 60s from what I can remember so they must be postmenopausal. Thanks. Is there a link or do we PM you for more info.? Sorry if I've missed that bit..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted January 11, 2009 Share Posted January 11, 2009 I think she said pm her with your full name, address and postcode if you're interested or pm her for more info if you need it . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted January 11, 2009 Share Posted January 11, 2009 Thanks ANH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bronze Posted January 12, 2009 Author Share Posted January 12, 2009 Thank you for all your pms I'll forward the info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...