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In July BCAC Chair, Libby Burgess, travelled to the Australian New Zealand Breast Cancer Trials Group (ANZBCTG) 33rd Annual Scientific Meeting, held in Queensland. The meeting attracted more than 200 researchers and international guest speakers to discuss the latest developments in breast cancer research, future directions for clinical trials and improving patient care.
Libby, who attended ANZBCTG as a member of the IMPACT program (see below), says the meeting provides an opportunity to discuss the latest research with experts and learn how the results might affect clinical trials and patient care.
Several current and former BCAC committee members were thrilled to attend the recent swearing-in ceremony for Claire Ryan, a founding member of BCAC, when she was appointed to the bench as a District Court Judge.
The ceremony which took place at the Auckland District Court was also attended by Dame Sian Elias, the Chief Justice, as well as many Court of Appeal, High Court and District Court Judges.
A team from BCAC met this week with the Minister of Health, the Hon. Tony Ryall, and highlighted the urgent need to address New Zealand’s desperate shortage of medical oncologists at three of the six cancer treatment centres around the country.
BCAC chair, Libby Burgess, says Mr Ryall was very receptive to the issues we raised. He is clearly committed to ensuring his policy of “better, sooner, more convenient” healthcare is extended to breast cancer patients.
She says BCAC focused on three key issues in its meeting with Mr Ryall. These were:
Breast cancer affects more than 2750 New Zealand women every year, but it's not just a woman's disease. Each year around 20 men are also diagnosed with breast cancer.
Many of the men who are diagnosed may have a family history of the disease and may carry the faulty genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 which means they are more susceptible to breast cancer.
Men should be on the lookout for similar symptoms to women, including:
There are numerous clinical trials taking place around New Zealand to gather evidence about new medicines or treatment methods that may help to improve breast cancer care in future.
In a clinical trial, a large number of women with breast cancer will be asked to test a new medicine, group of medicines or treatment method.
Researchers can then compare the outcomes for these women with the outcomes for women on a more usual treatment programme.
At the moment some of the clinical trials open to New Zealand women are examining the following:
If you’re a younger woman with breast cancer, you may be concerned about how the disease and treatment may affect your fertility and your future ability to have children.
There are a number of fertility preservation options open to younger women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer. Below, Dr Mary Birdsall, a fertility specialist with Fertility Associates, outlines the options currently available.
No two breast cancer journeys are exactly alike, but knowing what other women have gone through can mean we don’t feel so alone.
BCAC is proud to host a collection of stories from women who’ve had breast cancer, in which they tell of their experiences, how they felt and how they coped with treatment and diagnosis.
Read about Mandy Carter who was diagnosed with HER2 Positive breast cancer in 2007, when she was in her late thirties. Back then Herceptin wasn’t fully funded and Mandy had to pay tens of thousands of dollars for treatment. She also took a petition to Parliament asking for this vital drug to be funded.
A study is currently underway through the University of Auckland to look at the psychological impact of fears about cancer recurrence in women who’ve been treated for breast cancer.
The research project will involve up to 130 New Zealand women who have been treated for breast cancer and is being run by doctoral student, Loshni Rogers.
It is hoped the research will help to improve the psychological services available to women who have had or are going through breast cancer.
Speaking with other women who have breast cancer can be a great support as you go through diagnosis, treatment and recovery.
Now, you can now connect with others who have had breast cancer on the BCAC website – thanks to a joint initiative between BCAC and the Cancer Society of New Zealand.
The breast cancer thread of the Society’s internet forum, CancerChat, can now be accessed on the BCAC site.
BCAC committee member, Gillian Wintrup, says the forum means that no matter where you are in New Zealand, you can connect with other women who have breast cancer.
I am 54 years old and six years ago when I was doing a breast self examination , I realised that something had changed in my right breast.
It had always been “harder” than the left but I had that checked years before. However, for the last few years, my GP had flagged the upper part of my right breast as an area to ultrasound after my mammogram.
I had started having mammograms at 45 paying for them myself as I had large breasts. However, mammograms and ultrasounds were always clear.
