Breast Cancer Now

How do breast cancer cells hide from the immune system, and how can we help the immune system fight back? 🧐 To answer this question, we’re funding new research from Professor Fedor Berditchevski and his team at the University of Birmingham. They’re focussed on Tspan6—a protein that helps immune cells better target breast cancer. Tspan6 helps immune cells, like T cells and B cells, communicate and coordinate attacks on tumours. When Tspan6 is missing or reduced, the immune system struggles to gather enough cells inside the tumour to effectively fight the cancer. By understanding the role of Tspan6 on the interaction between different immune cells, this research could reveal new ways to strengthen immunotherapies and improve outcomes for people living with breast cancer. https://lnkd.in/enuijbVQ

With less than a week to go until our Pink Ribbon Ball we are delighted to share this year’s incredible silent auction lots. The best bit? You don’t need to be at the event to be in with a chance of securing some fantastic auction items, with 100% of the proceeds going towards furthering our work. Luxurious getaways, collectors items, sporting experiences and festive treats are just some of the prizes you could secure through the Pink Ribbon Ball silent auction. Tickets for the event, which will be held on Saturday 9 November at the London Hilton Bankside, are still on sale. Contact specialevents@breastcancernow.org if you would like to find out more. Support us through the Pink Ribbon Ball for the chance to dine, dance and do something amazing. https://lnkd.in/eKkxzkwd

Checking your breasts isn’t just for October. Check yours regularly and get to know your normal. Share this to remind your friends and family to keep checking too. https://lnkd.in/e9TUYWhU

Clinical trial update 🚨 The INAVO120 study, led by one of our scientists, has revealed the benefits of a powerful 'triplet therapy' for aggressive secondary breast cancer. This phase III clinical trial, funded by Roche, was testing a combination of 3 drugs to treat hormone receptor (HR) positive, HER2-negative advanced breast cancer with an altered PIK3CA gene. This is a common type of breast cancer. The triplet therapy consisted of: 1. Palbociclib, a CDK4/6 inhibitor drug 2. Fulvestrant, a hormone therapy drug 3. Inavolisib, a new PI3K inhibitor drug Results showed that this drug combination delayed the disease progressing by an average of 15 months. In comparison, a control group given just palbociclib and fulvestrant saw disease progression halted for an average of 7.3 months. The treatment was generally well tolerated, with only a few patients experiencing side effects that caused them to stop the treatment. The team, based at The Institute of Cancer Research, London and The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, hope the results will lead to the licencing of inavolisib. And that this triplet therapy becomes the standard of care. Read more about this discovery on our website. https://lnkd.in/euVBmSsA

Could our body’s inner clock hold the key to treating breast cancer? Did you know that every cell within our body has its own internal biological clock? Prof. Qing-Jun Meng and his team at The University of Manchester are exploring the biological clocks in cancer cells. They’re examining how certain cancer types keep a working clock while others, like HER2-positive cancers, don’t. In their research, the team will use AI to analyse samples donated by people with breast cancer. They want to understand what processes in cancer cells are regulated by internal clocks. And whether treatments work better when aligned with our body clock. Their findings could open doors to new therapies and optimise existing ones, leading to better outcomes for people living with breast cancer. Find more information on this project: https://lnkd.in/eWkC_9pA

“Whilst I've never directly lost anybody to this disease, I distinctly remember a phone call from my mum almost 2 years ago. She'd found a lump in her breast and had taken the necessary steps to get checked and take action. “Thankfully, she wasn't diagnosed with breast cancer – but the support and guidance she received during this scary time was testament to the way Breast Cancer Now conduct their system to get people immediate help and provide resources. “My name is Hannah, and I've worked for HiQ Tyres & Autocare within Goodyear Tyres UK Ltd for almost 3 years. “One of my favourite parts of my role has always been working with Breast Cancer Now, HiQ's corporate charity. HiQ have been supporting Breast Cancer Now for the past 12 years, with an ambitious target of £150,000. We're finally close to that number, with less than £6k to go. “I was delighted to accept the offer of running the London Marathon 2025 supporting Breast Cancer Now, on behalf of HiQ. I hope to both smash this target and raise awareness for this phenomenal charity. “Countless people close to me have been impacted by breast cancer and so every penny I can contribute means a great deal to me. “Having this opportunity to run in the London Marathon means a great deal to me after watching both my parents run the race on multiple occasions throughout my childhood. “As for supporting Breast Cancer Now, I'm running in celebration and support of all the valuable and life-changing work they do. In both a personal and professional environment, I've been a first-hand witness to just how meaningful and valuable the work they perform is to countless people. “Our team fully commit year on year to having pink everything – scrunchies, shoes, accessories, ribbons, even nails! We always approach pink with complete enthusiasm which encourages a great reaction. Others can see our commitment and how much we care about the cause. “After working with HiQ and raising money for Breast Cancer Now for 3 years, the most valuable thing I’ve learnt is that everyone has some kind of connection to the impact of Breast Cancer Now. ‘I’m officially starting my training this month to coincide with the build up to Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and I can’t wait to get started! ‘Whilst I’ve not run a marathon before, I've learnt from the best (my parents) who've given me their best advice, which I'll be following: 1 Fuel up 2 Have a plan 3 (Probably my favourite) Enjoy the journey. Training and running a marathon is an incredible achievement and I intend to enjoy every moment. I can’t wait for April 2025!” We’re very happy to be working with HiQ - the support they've given us is invaluable! Why not fundraise with your workplace and help people affected by breast cancer? Sign up to a fundraising pack today! https://lnkd.in/eK3SYfZ9

Can our gut bacteria help us treat breast cancer? Dr Stephen Robinson’s team at Quadram Institute Bioscience are investigating how gut bacteria may help when it comes to treating breast cancer. For this, they’re collecting poo samples from women diagnosed with oestrogen receptor positive (ER-positive) breast cancer. The team are analysing and comparing the bacteria found in samples taken at diagnosis, during and after treatment. The hope is that they find a microbiome 'signature' that predicts response to treatment or how likely the cancer is to come back. In addition, they're testing how different bacterial compositions in the gut affects the immune system. This research will deepen our understanding of the role of gut bacteria play in breast cancer. And it could help us develop new treatment strategies that use gut bacteria to activate the immune system. https://lnkd.in/eq-nvufX

Thank you from our CEO Claire Rowney, the nurses, researchers and everyone at Breast Cancer Now for wearing it pink this year. The funds you’ve raised will help us be there for people from the moment they receive a diagnosis. They’ll also help us continue to campaign for people affected by breast cancer and to keep funding ground-breaking research. We are so grateful for all your support. We know some of you haven't done your wear it pink event yet so please do keep sending your photos to wearitpink@breastcancernow.org

Many people find it difficult to take hormone therapy. But for black women, this vital treatment can present even more challenges. We know that around 40% of people forget to take their hormone therapy, and around 10% deliberately miss, skip, or change doses. But this percentage tends to be higher in black women. Dr Lyndsay Hughes at King's College London is working to understand the experiences of black women taking this medication. This project aims to understand when black women take their medication and how weekends, holidays and other events may impact this. They’re also looking to understand how their culture influences their experiences and expectations of hormone therapy. This insight will help our researchers to understand why black women may find it harder to take hormone therapy. And it’ll help them produce educational materials for healthcare professionals, patients and support groups, so they can tailor their support for black women. Ultimately, this project is about making breast cancer care more inclusive. https://lnkd.in/eexXpHQP

This Breast Cancer Awareness Month, our partner Karen Millen have released their Pink Edit. The edit is made up over 200 products including a selection of dresses, jumpsuits, accessories and more, and for each product sold in October, 5% of the sale will go to Breast Cancer Now. The edit also includes their stand out pink Forever Dress – for every dress sold throughout the year, Karen Millen are donating £5 to support our life-saving research and support services. The incredible staff will also be fundraising for us through internal sample sales and are also raising awareness of the signs and symptoms of breast cancer and our services over on their blog. You can find out more about the products available 👇 https://lnkd.in/ecRRDgid