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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  Are thinking styles associated with physical health after a cancer diagnosis?

  Sarah Beck

  Institution: The University of Surrey

  Location: UK-wide, Online anywhere

  Type of study: Survey, Questionnaire

  Dates: September 2020 – 31 May 2021

  Researchers at the University of Surrey are looking for people who have been diagnosed with breast cancer within the last 24 months to complete a short questionnaire exploring thinking styles and physical health after a cancer diagnosis. The findings will help researchers improve ways to support those who are recently diagnosed.

  If you are interested in taking part, please fill out a short questionnaire (15-20 minutes). Follow up questionnaires will be sent out 3 and 6 months later.

  Take part in survey

  Or email sarah.beck@surrey.ac.uk for more information.

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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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  Bone Metastasis Indicators of Outcome (BoMIO) study

  Institution: The University of Edinburgh

  Location: UK-wide recruitment

  Type of study: Anonymous online questionnaire

  Dates: February 2021 – 31 July 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, to complete an online questionnaire exploring which aspects of cancer treatment they consider most important. The results will help surgeons to compare and improve metastatic cancer care in different centres across the UK.

  If you would like to know more, take a look at the study information sheet or email Samantha Downie.

  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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  Let us know your priorities for breast cancer surgery research

  Institution: Association of Breast Surgery

  Location: UK-wide participation

  Type of study: Online survey

  Dates: March – June 2021

  A survey has been launched to bring together organisations, individuals with breast cancer, carers and clinicians to identify their research priorities in the field of breast cancer surgery. You may have some unanswered questions about breast cancer surgery and a good idea of what knowledge and support would make a difference to your quality of life or those that you care for or work with. We encourage anyone with a personal or professional connection to breast cancer surgery to take part in this 5 minute survey and let us know where you think research should be directed in the future. The goal is to increase government funding for breast cancer surgery research, incentivise researchers to respond to patient priorities and bring greater cohesion amongst organisations.

  For more information visit the Association of Breast Surgery website.

  Take part in survey

• 

  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 – Mid June 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.