Take part in a research study
Research discoveries can’t happen on their own. Scientists need your valued input.
You can play a vital role in breast cancer research by volunteering to take part in a research study.
Studies can range from filling in survey questions, to large scale clinical trials that test the benefit of potential new therapies. All studies help towards developing better support and treatments for patients.
If you are interested in taking part in a clinical trial, you should always consult your healthcare team or GP.
Opportunities to take part in breast cancer research studies are listed below. All projects have been reviewed to ensure they have the appropriate ethical approval.
Disclaimer: Against Breast Cancer receives no financial benefit from advertising these opportunities.
Investing in education
Against Breast Cancer are committed to supporting and developing young scientists who perform innovative cancer research into increasing survival rates after diagnosis of breast cancer.
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CANDO-3: Body Composition and chemotherapy toxicity in women with early breast cancer
Institution: University of Southampton
Location: Oxford, Exeter, Manchester, Portsmouth, Winchester, Salisbury, Southampton
Type of Study: Clinical
Dates: July 2020 – Feb 2022
Researchers at the University of Southampton wish to investigate how different patterns of body composition affect the response to chemotherapy treatment in women with early breast cancer.Chemotherapy doses are currently calculated from a patient’s height and weight. Patients with the same height and weight can have different amounts of blood, muscle and fatty tissue which can all affect the behaviour of chemotherapy drugs. This may be important for optimising chemotherapy treatment.
Researchers wish to recruit patients from 7 participating hospital sites in the UK. In this observational cohort study they will be collecting bioelectrical impedance body composition data from women receiving routine chemotherapy before or after breast surgery. They will also collect information for each patient about the chemotherapy drugs and doses they receive and the side effects they experience. Information gained from this study will help to improve the future care of women with breast cancer.
For more information please email: cando3@soton.ac.uk
Contact research team
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Understanding Resilience in Breast Cancer Survivors
Institution: King’s College London
Location: UK-wide recruitment
Type of study: Online assessments, questionnaires
Dates: November 2020 – 31 December 2021
Researchers at King’s College London are looking for volunteers who have finished treatment for breast cancer in the last 3 years. The FRAME (Finding Resilient Answers More Effectively) study hopes to find out if a new online treatment will help reduce worry and low mood in cancer survivors, by building new thinking habits that promote resilience.The information gained from this study should help us understand more about why some people who have been treated for cancer experience low mood or worry and how we may be able to help them overcome this.
For more information, please email the research team at frameproject@kcl.ac.uk or read the information sheet for participants here.
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Update: Bone Metastasis Indicators of Outcome (BoMIO) study – Next stage
Institution: The University of Edinburgh
Location: UK-wide recruitment
Type of study: Anonymous online questionnaire
Dates: 24th August – 30th November 2021
Researchers at the University of Edinburgh are looking for individuals or their relatives/carers, who are living with metastatic (secondary) breast cancer that has spread to the bones.
The results of the first stage of the study have been analysed and used to generate a second stage study questionnaire. This will allow new participants (including those who were involved before) to provide their opinions on the finalised set of outcome indicators that will help us to identify which aspects of cancer treatment are most important to patients.
We would like to thank all the relatives, carers, doctors and people living with cancer who participated in the first stage of this vital research. We are really grateful for your time and wish we could thank each of you individually.
If you would like to be involved in the second stage, please follow this link or see the study poster for more information.
Find out more
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Assessing sleep disruptions, fatigue and mood disturbances in breast cancer
Institution: University of Strathclyde
Location: UK-wide recruitment
Type of study: Online questionnaire (10mins)
Dates: March 2021 – February 2022
Researchers at the University of Strathclyde are looking for people who are over 18, live in the UK and have ever had a diagnosis of breast cancer. The aim of the research study is to understand to what extent sleep disruptions, fatigue and mood disturbances occur in people affected by breast cancer.
You can take part whether you have had these particular experiences or not. The findings will help to inform future interventions to improve quality of life for breast cancer patients.
For more information, email Dr. Nicola Peddie.
Take part in survey
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PRIMROSE Audit: A prospective multi-centre cohort audit/project to assess the presentation, management, and outcomes of patients with CNS disease secondary to breast cancer.
Institution: University of Liverpool
Location: UK-wide
Type of Study: Observational, audit
Dates: Jan 2020 – Jul 2022
This is a prospective observational multicentre audit. Patients with histological confirmed locally advanced breast cancer and who meet the entry criteria will be entered on to REDCap (audit tool) and data will be collected for these patients. The data collected will not be identifiable to anyone outside of the usual clinical treating team and therefore is considered fully anonymous and informed consent is not required.
Primary objective
- To audit the overall survival from initial diagnosis of CNS involvement secondary to breast cancer in UK centres
Secondary objectives
- To audit the number of cases of metastatic breast cancer (MBC) involving the central nervous system presenting in UK centres per year.
- To audit the current practice in UK centres regarding the diagnosis and management of CNS disease secondary to BC in relation to national and international guidelines.
- To audit the outcomes of patients treated for CNS involvement secondary to breast cancer in UK centres.
If you are interested in this study, please contact your current care team to get in touch with NIHR North West Clinical Research Network to express the care team’s interest in participating in the PRIMROSE Study.
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Testing a new questionnaire to measure how much a person’s health condition affects the quality of life of their partner and family
Institution: Cardiff University
Location: UK-wide recruitment
Type of study: Online questionnaire
Dates: April-September 2021
Breast cancer can affect the lives of partners and family members, but this important impact is often ignored. Researchers at Cardiff University have created a simple questionnaire to measure this impact. They need your help to test this questionnaire before it can be used routinely to better understand and care for the health and social needs of partners and families. The researchers invite people with breast cancer and their partners or other family members (aged at least 18 years) to complete this 5-minute online survey:
Take part in survey
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Tell us your views on implant-based breast reconstruction
Institution: Royal Marsden Hospital, London
Location: UK-wide recruitment
Type of study: Interview, survey, patient experience
Dates: May – October 2021
Breast cancer researchers and surgeons at the Royal Marsden Hospital are looking for people with experience of implant-based breast reconstruction after breast cancer from 2015 onwards.
They are designing new research projects and would like to offer patients and public the chance to contribute their experiences and views on this topic to help shape the design of the research project. This helps ensure that new research will be relevant and beneficial to breast cancer patients.
For more information or to register interest, please contact Dr. Rachel Rolph: rachel.rolph@rmh.nhs.uk.
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Breast Cancer Awareness and Perceived Risk as Predictors of Physical Activity in Young Females
Institution: University of Coventry
Location: UK-wide recruitment
Type of study: Online questionnaire (20-25mins)
Dates: May – 15 October 2021
Researchers at the University of Coventry are investigating how breast cancer awareness (confidence and skills to detect breast changes and knowledge of breast cancer risk factors) and the perceived risk of breast cancer affects the overall physical activity of young females living in the UK. They would like to ask females aged 18-35 years old without a breast cancer diagnosis or family history of breast cancer to take part in an online questionnaire (20-25mins). The information gained from this study will help to explore how breast cancer awareness may influence preventive behaviour.
Take part in survey
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BRCA-DIRECT: Is digitally delivered information about genetic testing feasible, effective and acceptable to women with breast cancer?
Institution: The Institute of Cancer Research, NHS England, Cancer Research UK, SHORE-C
Location: London, Manchester
Type of study: Clinical
Dates: June 2021 – September 2022
Researchers at the Institute of Cancer Research are investigating if pre-test information about BRCA-gene testing can be given digitally to women with breast cancer.
Women with a pathogenic gene variant in the BRCA1, BRCA2, or PALB2 genes have a higher risk of developing breast and ovarian cancers but are not routinely tested for these unless there is a strong family history of cancer. To improve access to BRCA-gene testing, the BRCA-DIRECT platform will allow digital delivery of pre-test information about BRCA-gene testing. 1000 women with breast carcinoma/high grade DCIS will provide a saliva or blood sample and receive information either digitally or by a standard counselling telephone appointment, after which participants can decide whether to proceed with the genetic test. All participants will be offered the genetic test.
The study will recruit from 2 hospitals in the UK; the Royal Marsden Hospital in London, and the Wythenshawe Hospital in Manchester. You will need access to a smartphone/email and internet, be over 18, and have not had BRCA-gene testing in the past.
If you are interested in taking part, please speak to your current care team, or contact BRCADirect@icr.ac.uk.
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MSBC (Metastatic and Secondary Breast Cancer)
Institution: Make 2nds Count with the Universities of Warwick, Liverpool and Southampton
Location: UK-wide recruitment
Type of study: online questionnaire (with possible telephone interview of consenting participants)
Dates: Now until early November 2021
We’d be very grateful if women and men with secondary breast cancer would complete this short, patient led survey about their experience, thoughts and concerns of clinical trial and research involvement. We hope to hear from everyone, not just those who have taken part in research so far.
Our outcomes are to understand patient specific issues about accessing and participating in research, investigate the needs of people taking part in studies and appreciate the research questions important to patients.
Take part in survey