This research is another piece of the jigsaw into the prediction and prevention of breast cancer. At The Nightingale and Genesis Prevention Centre we already offer such testing for women who come from families where breast cancer has struck several times before, through testing for the high risk genes BRCA1 and BRCA2.

Lester Barr, Consultant Breast Surgeon and Chairman of Genesis Breast Cancer Prevention, believes the next step is to find the genes that lead to breast cancer in women who do NOT have a family history. The discovery of another gene contributing to breast cancer risk is a great example of the research strategy being followed by Genesis Breast Cancer Prevention. If we can predict who is ‘destined’ to develop breast cancer, we can offer those women early screening and treatment perhaps even before the disease has developed.

Genesis is currently researching a family of gene segments known as SNPs that can predispose breast cancer in otherwise healthy women without a family history of the disease. Imperial College’s gene test adds another component to this testing. It will probably take a few years of further research, but soon we may discover how these different genes, SNPs and gene-switches interact, which could lead to a blood test that would pick out those women at high risk, years or decades before cancer develops.

Professor Gareth Evans highlights that it is essential that women who are concerned about their risk of breast cancer do not become complacent and think that this test will absolutely predict their risk of developing breast cancer. The findings from Imperial College are very important, but further work is necessary to determine how such changes in the ATM gene link in with other known risk factors.

Professor Evans adds that it may nonetheless be a further help in classifying women into risk categories, incorporating other risk information, such as family history, the density of breast tissue on mammograms, timing of pregnancies, periods starting and menopause, as well as other lifestyle factors. It is only with further work that this test can be fully incorporated into risk prediction programmes, which may make a difference into who gets early screening with mammography or even who might chose preventive surgery in more extreme cases.

We are researching this in two large cohorts from our family history clinic and a general population study called PROCAS using funding from Genesis Breast Cancer Prevention.

For further information on the news story please click here.

To read more about our prediction project, PROCAS, please click here.

The study used genetic testing to identify 10 types of breast cancer based on their genes.

This fits in very well with research work supported by Genesis looking at Gene testing to allow early diagnosis.

This research project,  ‘Genetic determinants of mammography density’ otherwise known as SNP’s,  involves 10,000 women who have undergone mammography as part of the National Breast Screening Programme, and 1,500 women with a family history of breast cancer.

We will use saliva samples from the women in combination with mammographic density data and clinical risk factor data to work out which genetic variants are linked to breast tissue density and breast cancer.

This new study will not immediately change treatment but over the next few years should allow targeting the right treatment to the right person.

To find out more on the news story, click here.

To read more about our SNP’s research project, click here.

Some of you may have heard Olivia Newton-John on BBC Woman’s Hour, talking about her experience of breast cancer.

She discussed the importance of a healthy diet and lifestyle – many things she said are now proven by our own Dr Michelle Harvie to be effective in reducing breast cancer risk.

This includes a Mediterranean style diet, regular exercise, moderation in alcohol and occasional treats.

To find out more about Dr Michelle Harvie’s work, click here.

You can still listen to the BBC  interview here.

Well done Olivia!

We are very excited to announce the launch of our new logo and name!

‘Genesis Breast Cancer Prevention’ – the only charity in the UK dedicated to preventing breast cancer.

It has been a project that has spanned many months and has included several workshops, hundreds of phone calls and countless emails.

We are grateful for the support we received from Diana Harris (who works in Marketing and Innovation at Kellogg’s) and Coker Brand Design.

Diana chose to support us after being treated at The Nightingale Centre and Genesis Prevention Centre. Her support was invaluable, as we were able to reassess the meaning and thus the look of our logo.

Ideas were flying everywhere and we considered the importance of brand recognition and our aim to be recognised nationally as the only charity entirely dedicated to breast cancer prevention. We were also keen to create a balance between the science and femininity of the charity.

Discussions also included how we wanted our supporters to feel good about supporting a forward looking, positive charity that has a real relevance to their lives.

The culmination of all these ideas resulted in the new look logo above and our new name – Genesis Breast Cancer Prevention.

Click here to view our latest newsletter and find out more.

This important information has been published in  this week’s ‘Lancet Oncology’. 

The main finding is that, in certain groups of women, oestrogen-only HRT reduces the risk of breast cancer.  This is in contrast to the more common type of HRT (combining oestrogen and progestogen) which increases breast cancer risk.

Lester Barr, Consultant Breast Surgeon and Chairman of Genesis Breast Cancer Prevention, breaks down the information for you here: 

“The following practical advice can be given to the public as a result of this new data.

1. Women aged between 50 and 59 years of age who have had a hysterectomy can safely take oestrogen-only HRT to relieve menopausal symptoms.  They can do so in the knowledge that taking oestrogen-only HRT for 5 years or so reduces their chance of getting breast cancer, and of dying from breast cancer.
2. Women who have not had a hysterectomy cannot take oestrogen-only HRT because it increases the chance of cancer of the uterus.  The alternative type of HRT for these women is ‘combined HRT’, but this increases rather than decreases the chance of breast cancer.
3. The beneficial effect of oestrogen-only HRT is not seen in women who have a family history of breast cancer.  These women should still be advised to avoid HRT if possible.
4. Although oestrogen only HRT reduces breast cancer risk in older women,  HRT is not beneficial overall in women of 59 years of age and over. The tablets cause an increased risk of heart disease, stroke and blood clots and thus should be avoided if possible.”

Here at Genesis Breast Cancer Prevention, we firmly believe that prevention is better than cure and so we raise funds to support vital research into the prediction and prevention of breast cancer.

Please click here for more information on our research.

After being diagnosed with breast cancer and successfully undergoing treatment, ex Casualty actress Morag Siller decided to organise this fabulous event in aid of The Genesis Breast Cancer Prevention Appeal and Beechwood Cancer Care Centre.

We are very excited about this upcoming event which will see a host of celebrities performing, attending or simply shaking a bucket to show their support and raise funds!

Famous faces include:

• Our very own Patron and Coronation Street star, Sally Dynevor
• Imogen Stubbs – Sense and Sensibility
• Dean Andrews – Life on Mars
• Charlie Dale – Casualty
• Anthony Cotton – Coronation Street
• Jeff Hordley –Emmerdale
• Graham Hawley -Coronation Street
• Hugh Sachs – Benidorm

Tickets are £35 and are already selling fast.

Don’t miss out – Click here to secure your place.

Joanne was diagnosed with Breast Cancer last summer and after having completed her treatment, set out to raise money for Genesis by combining her love for travelling and adventure.

Joanne will be joined by her friends Hannah and Nicole who have both had close family members affected by the disease.

They intend to set off from the Nightingale Centre and Genesis Prevention Centre on 29th June and tuk tuk their way around Glasgow, Edinburgh, Leeds, London, Bristol, Cardiff and back to Manchester.

The tour will take the ladies approximately 10 days and cover 1500 miles – all of which will help raise awareness about the prediction and prevention of Breast Cancer.

Joanne, Hannah and Nicole will be keeping the public updated in the run up to and during their tuk tuk tour.

So, follow their blog on www.pinkribbonrickshaw.co.uk and their twitter feed @pribbonrickshaw.

Sponsor Jo and her friends by visiting their Justgiving page here or by texting “PINK90 £5” or “PINK90 £10” to 70070.

But do you ever wonder exactly what we fund at Genesis?

As you know,  we are the only charity in the UK entirely dedicated to the prevention of Breast Cancer.

One of the projects that is helping us achieve this is PROCAS: Predicting the risk of cancer at screening.

The PROCAS study, led by Professor Gareth Evans, aims to predict each woman’s personal breast cancer risk. All women aged between 50 and 74  (temporarily lowered to 47 in certain areas) who go for routine screening mammograms as part of the NHS Breast Screening Programme in Greater Manchester are being invited to join the study over the next two and a half years.

The study has been doing very well, having recruited over 35,700 women and around 60,000 in total are expected to take part. In fact, PROCAS is the largest recruiting study in the UK.

Data will be collected on the following breast cancer risk factors: breast density, lifestyle factors and family history. Around 10,000 women are being invited to provide a saliva DNA sample, which will be tested for genes associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. So far DNA has been collected from 2600 women. Genesis has funded the DNA part of the study.

Recently, UK Healthcare have awarded the PROCAS study £10,000 which is absolutely fantastic.

We aim to be able to predict and prevent breast cancer in the future and projects like PROCAS will go a long way  in helping us to achieve this goal.

For information on our other research projects, click here.

If you are interested in organising your own fundraising event, call the office on 0161 291 4400 or alternatively, click here to view our upcoming events.

This week has been a fabulous week of festive volunteering with our amazing volunteers helping us raise nearly £1000 at Sainsburys Altrincham and Wilsmlow.

Volunteers got stuck in by wearing our trademark pink tutus and helping the christmas shoppers pack their bags.

A big thank-you to everyone who volunteered, particularly to those in Altrincham who braved the non-stop snow!

 If you are interested in volunteering for Genesis, call the office on 0161 291 4400 or register your interest by emailing info@genesisuk.org

Here at the Genesis Breast Cancer Prevention Appeal, we were delighted with these findings. Being the only charity in the UK entirely dedicated to the prevention of breast cancer, these findings strengthen our research  as our professors have found that breast cancer is caused by a combination of factors –

• The genes you are born with
• The lifestyle you lead – e.g. diet, weight, exercise
• The environment – cultural, social, ecological

You can therefore be pro-active in the lifestyle you lead and take certain steps to lower your risk.

Having a balanced diet, exercising regularly, drinking less alcohol and not smoking are all factors that can help lower your risk of breast cancer.

So does this mean you have to cut out all your bad habits? In the run up to Christmas, this may seem a little daunting…However, making small changes in your lifestyle over a long term period can make a huge difference.

The old motto “Everything in moderation” is a great message.

To understand the different risk factors for breast cancer and to find out more about our research, click here