“
“Over 46,000 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed every year and this number needs to go right down. On average 1 in 10 women develops breast cancer but this figure is as high as 1 in 9 in the south of England and 1 in 7 in California. Women in the western world are more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer which demonstrates how lifestyle plays a role in breast cancer development."



Professor Tony Howell
Medical Oncologist

UHSM hosts talk about breast cancer prevention 

On Wednesday, October 20, UHSM is hosting a talk about breast cancer which will be given by Professor Tony Howell, Medical Oncologist. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and an opportunity to focus on a disease that currently 1 in 10 women and 1 in 1,000 men will develop in their lifetime. Prof Howell says: "What I will be focusing on at the Health Matters talk is ways to prevent breast cancer. If you gain around 2-3 stone in weight between the ages of 20 and 50 years, you can potentially double your risk of breast cancer. I hope to promote the benefits of healthy lifestyles. This includes eating a little less and having regular, moderate exercise. Family history of the disease can also affect the likelihood of developing breast cancer and so another preventative measure is to identify these women and invite them in for more regular screening.” 

Prof Howelll is a member of the PROCAS team (Predicting the Risk of Cancer at Screening) at the Nightingale and Genesis Prevention Centre at Wythenshawe Hospital. This study involves asking women who come to their mammograms to fill in a questionnaire based on lifestyle and family history of the disease. Their mammograms will be used to check breast density and one in six of the women will be asked to give a saliva DNA sample which will provide information on genetic variations that can increase risk and enable the team to predict breast cancer more accurately. This is the largest study of its kind in the UK, and the results could impact on the whole NHS Breast Screening Programme.

As well as working on the PROCAS study, Prof Howell is also researching medication that can be taken by women to reduce breast cancer. He concludes: “At present, research shows that the pill Tamoxifen reduces the risk of breast cancer by around 50%. I am currently looking in to another drug, which, if the trials are successful, could reduce the risk of breast cancer by 70%. This has the potential to be revolutionary and may affect breast cancer treatment in the future.”

The Health Matters talk will run from 12noon – 1.30pm, in the Education & Research Centre at Wythenshawe Hospital and is open to everyone (no need to book). Refreshments will also be provided.