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Against Breast Cancer funds ground breaking research by expert scientists using one of the UK's largest collections of breast cancer patient samples to identify vital information that could improve detection and lead to increased survival after diagnosis.
Our research is studying new ways that could help doctors identify and treat breast cancer faster and more effectively.
We look at the whole woman: her tumour, her response to the tumour and her environment through three interlinked areas of research: Tumour biology, Immunology and Diet & Lifestyle.
1/ Tumour biology - preventing secondary spread
Our biochemists are studying aggressive breast cancers to find out why they spread to other parts of the body (this is known as 'secondary spread') and how this can be prevented.
2/ Immunology - patient response
Our researchers are investigating the low level of natural immunity in breast cancer patients, how it can be stimulated to fight secondary spread of the disease and whether this could lead to the development of a blood test.
3/ Diet and lifestyle - environmental factors
Our on-going Diet & Lifestyle study of over 3,000 breast cancer patients in 56 hospitals across the UK will help establish how diet, lifestyle and complementary treatments affect the spread of breast cancer.
If you would like more in-depth information about our research projects, the collaborating centres involved in this work and the Scientists funded by our supporters, please visit the Against Breast Cancer Research Unit website.
Recent publications by Dr Anthony Leathem, Louiza Velentzis and Simon Fry from the UCL Breast Cancer Research Team
Significant changes in dietary intake and supplement use after breast cancer diagnosis in a UK prospective multicentre study. L S Velentzis, S F Brennan, J V Woodside, M R Keshtgar, A J Leathem, A Titcomb, K A Perkins, M Mazurowska, V Anderson, K Wardell and M M Cantwell. 2010 June. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 69 (OCE5), E378
Dietary patterns and breast cancer risk: a systematic review and meta-analysis1,2,3: Sarah F Brennan, Marie M Cantwell, Chris R Cardwell, Louiza S Velentzis and Jayne V Woodside. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2010 May. Vol. 91 no. 5: 1294-1302.
A significant dietary change after breast cancer diagnosis: Early results of a United Kingdom prospective multicenter study. L S Velentzis, J V Woodisde, M M Cantwell, A J Leathem, M R Keshtgar. 2010. J Clin Oncol 28:15s (suppl; abstr 1588)
Lignans and breast cancer risk in pre- and post-menopausal women: meta-analyses of observational studies. Velentzis LS, Cantwell MM, Cardwell C, Keshtgar MR, Leathem AJ, Woodside JV.Br J Cancer. 2009 May 5;100(9):1492-8.
Do phytoestrogens reduce the risk of breast cancer and breast cancer recurrence? What clinicians need to know. Velentzis LS, Woodside JV, Cantwell MM, Leathem AJ,Keshtgar MR.Eur J Cancer. 2008 Sep;44(13):1799-806.
Altered glycosylation of proteins in cancer: what is the potential for new anti-tumour strategies. Brooks SA, Carter TM, Royle L, Harvey DJ, Fry SA, Kinch C, Dwek RA, Rudd PM.Anticancer Agents Med Chem. 2008 Jan;8(1):2-21.
Cancer-associated glycoforms of gelatinase B exhibit a decreased level of binding to galectin-3. (SA, Van den Steen PE, Royle L, Wormald MR, Leathem AJ, Opdenakker G, McDonnell JM, Dwek RA, Rudd PM. Biochemistry. 2006 Dec 26;45(51):15249-58).
Differential glycosylation of gelatinase B from neutrophils and breast cancer cells (SA, Van den Steen PE, Royle L, Wormald MR, Leathem AJ, Opdenakker G, Rudd PM, Dwek RA. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2005;5 .
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