Latest News
A new study shows that even moderate weight loss could reduce the risk of breast cancer by lowering the levels of oestrogen in the body.
The new research, published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, and conducted by the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre in the USA is the first randomised, controlled clinical trial to test the effects of weight loss on sex hormones in overweight and obese post-menopausal women.
Medical researchers have long noted a link between obesity and increased risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women. A relationship between body fat and oestrogen production is thought to contribute to this risk.
The Breast Cancer Aotearoa Coalition applauds new funding in Budget 2012 for cancer nurse co-ordinators to help alleviate the stress faced by New Zealanders with cancer.
The Minister of Health, Tony Ryall, has announced an additional $33million over the next four years for better and faster cancer services. This includes funding for dedicated nurses to co-ordinate cancer patients’ individual care and support.
BCAC chairperson Libby Burgess says those with cancer will welcome the opportunity to deal with one person throughout their treatment programme.
“New Zealanders with cancer often deal with a shifting cast of health professionals and this can add to the stress and anxiety they are already struggling with as they go through treatment.
Judith Butler’s story.
If someone was to tell me I was going to be bald like Bull Allen for a summer, wear pink and sit naked in a bin covered by kiwifruit, I would have told them they had forgotten to take their medication.
But that is exactly what did happen. I kept a diary of the first five months which has been quite emotional reading back on it.
On Friday the 3rd of August 2001, age 40, I found a lump in my left breast in the shower. I just couldn’t believe it; it felt like a marble so hard and round.
By Anne Hayden, PhD
BCAC member Anne Hayden shares her treatment story to highlight that there may be alternatives to the usual options of palliative chemo and radiotherapy when newly discovered breast cancer metastases are found.
Enjoy Arnott’s Tim Tam during May and help support women living with breast cancer.
May marks a month-long fundraiser for the Breast Cancer Aotearoa Coalition (BCAC). Supported by Arnott’s, the fundraiser asks you to ‘Show Your Heart’ by buying Tim Tam during the month from Countdown, Super Value or Fresh Choice supermarkets to help BCAC support thousands of women and their families as they tackle breast cancer.
Every year 2750 women (and 20 men) are diagnosed with breast cancer ... and thousands of husbands, boyfriends, fathers, sons, daughters, mothers, aunts, partners, grandmothers, friends, cousins and sisters are affected by someone special to them tackling the disease.
March 2012
"Selective Use of Postoperative Radiotherapy AftEr MastectOmy (SUPREMO) trial"
A new clinical trial, SUPREMO, has recently opened at Waikato hospital inviting participation from women who have had a mastectomy for breast cancer and may be scheduled to undergo radiotherapy following their surgery.
Radiotherapy treats breast cancer using high energy x-rays to destroy cancer cells and the aim of the radiotherapy is to reduce the risk of the tumour coming back. In addition, when given in conjunction with anti-cancer drug treatments, it may also improve long-term survival.
As part of their work around Consumer Engagement, the Health Quality and Safety Commission, is sponsoring 15 people to attend New Zealand’s first health literacy conference. It is being organised by Workbase New Zealand and will be held at Waipuna Hotel and Conference Centre, Auckland on Tuesday 1 May 2012.
More information about the health literacy conference is available at: http://www.healthliteracy.org.nz/conference2012/
The Commission is sponsoring attendance for people from each of these categories:
• primary health care – pharmacy and general practice
• mental health
• secondary health care
• aged care
• disability care.
Two courageous women in Waikato are currently turning distressing breast cancer experiences into something positive and beneficial for others who may follow them on a similar journey.
Julie Graham and Marianne Jarvie were strangers until the unwelcome news was broken to each of them, just months apart in 2011, that they had Her2 positive breast cancer. A mutual friend introduced them after discovering they were both dealing with the trauma of this diagnosis and from that moment a lasting friendship has formed.
During 2011 BCAC reported on a research study underway through the University of Auckland designed to look at the psychological impact of fears about cancer recurrence in women who’ve been treated for breast cancer.
The pilot study for this research has now been completed and the main study is well underway. It is being run by doctoral student, Loshni Rogers and she says the response from women has been excellent and many have been happy to share their experiences. One hundred and eight women have been recruited so far and the researchers are looking to recruit a further 22.
1 March 2012
The Breast Cancer Aotearoa Coalition (BCAC) expressed some disappointment today at the decision by PHARMAC to fund lapatinib (Tykerb) as an alternative to Herceptin for advanced HER2 positive breast cancer for use as a “first-line” metastatic treatment.
Libby Burgess, chair of BCAC says, “This is a disappointing decision as it will not help the vast majority of patients with advanced HER2 positive breast cancer. The real need for lapatinib is as a “second-line” treatment, to be used after Herceptin, not as an alternative to it.”
