News Archives - Thames Breast Clinic

Are our breast cancer mortality rates catching up to Europe?

April 12, 2019/in News /by katharine

Some good news on the home front: according to research which came out last month, breast cancer mortality rates are falling faster in Britain than in any other of the six most populous countries in Europe – by a whopping 17.7% since 2010-2014.

According to the study, which was conducted by an international collective of researchers from Italy, Switzerland and the USA and published in the Annals of Oncology journal, the UK had an age-standardised breast cancer mortality rates of 18.39 per 100,000 people in 2005-2009. However, that went down to 16.19 in 2010-2014 – and should fall again to 13.33 this year.

This means that by this year the UK will have experienced the highest percentage decrease in its death rate among the countries with the biggest populations in Europe since 2010-14, and the research team credit that to our screening regime, earlier diagnosis and better treatment.

The numbers continue to rise

However, the researchers were keen to point out that a decrease in the death rate doesn’t mean a decrease in breast cancer-related deaths overall: due to an ageing population, the increase in obesity and other factors, the overall number of people dying from breast cancer in Britain is due to keep on rising.

Furthermore, it’s worth mentioning that even though we’re experiencing the biggest spurt in preventing breast cancer, we still lag behind the biggest nations in Europe. And while UK cancer experts were pleased that the trend is heading in the right direction, they took great pains to point out that there’s still a way to go. “It’s really encouraging that, thanks to research advances and NHS progress, breast cancer mortality rates in the UK are finally expected to catch up with the rest of Europe,” said Lady Morgan, the chief executive of Breast Cancer Now. “But with incidence increasing and over 11,000 mothers, daughters and sisters still dying from metastatic breast cancer each year, this progress cannot come soon enough and we need to do much, much more.

“While this analysis represents very positive news, our rate of progress appears to be much greater than our neighbours largely because we have had some of the highest mortality rates in Europe for a long time.”

Cancer is receding, but population at risk is rising

In other results thrown up by the research, it is estimated that women aged 50-69 are most likely to benefit from decreasing mortality, while those aged 70-79 will gain the least. And death rates are falling for seven other major cancers too, including bowel, stomach, prostate and bladder cancer – albeit still rising for pancreatic cancer. In lung cancer – which kills more British people than any other form of cancer – mortality will fall among men but keep on rising among women, as a consequence of past changes in the gender balance of smokers.

The final summary – that overall deaths from cancer are continuing to increase across Europe as a whole and will hit 1.4m this year (up from 1.35m in 2014), demonstrates that while treatment is improving, we’re about to catch the peak of the ageing population, which will bring a whole new challenge to the medical community.

Should women receive breast cancer screening earlier?

March 23, 2019/in News /by katharine

As we all know, women in the UK are routinely offered breast cancer screening when they reach the age of 50, receiving an invite for further screening every three years until their 71st birthday. And while women who have a family history are invited to have screenings from the age of 40 – and bar a trial the NHS are currently running which involves women aged between 47 and 73 – that’s been a hard and fast rule for a while now.

But according to a study funded by the charity Breast Cancer Now, evidence is pointing towards encouraging even younger women who have a family history of breast cancer to get checked out. According to their findings, cancers were detected sooner when 35 to 39-year-olds at risk had annual mammograms. And while the research team – from the University of Manchester – went to great lengths to point out that more analysis was needed on the risks, costs and benefits of extending the screening programme, they were keen to lean on the government to look into a revised screening programme for younger at-risk groups.

Earlier breast cancer screening – does it work?

The study offered scans to 2,899 women in the 35-to-39 age group who were deemed to have a moderate or high risk of the disease after being referred by a GP to a family history clinic. And the screenings detected 35 invasive breast cancer tumours, most of which were small and identified before they had reached the lymph nodes – a sign that they had not spread around the body. By comparison, in a control group which did not have the screenings, far fewer of the cancers were discovered when they were still small and more had spread to the lymphatic system.

Why does the medical community leave it later to screen, then? Because the general feeling has been that more checks from an earlier age aren’t worth the extra expense for the results it produces and can cause more unnecessary stress than good. But according to Professor Gareth Evans, the lead author of the study, the trial has demonstrated that annual scans for a younger age group are effective in detecting tumours earlier, and overdiagnosis – where people are treated for cancers that are unlikely to prove harmful – was far less likely to be an issue with this younger age group. “For women with a family history, removing a non-invasive tumour so early in their lives is likely to be a cancer preventive,” he claimed.

More screenings = faster results

According to the research team, annual mammograms for at-risk younger women across all four of the UK’s NHS services could mean that up to 86,000 women would be called in for earlier screening.

Seeing as between 5% and 15% of breast cancers are linked to a family history of cancer, a revised screening programme would be a positive step for the treatment of breast cancer in the UK, according to Baroness Delyth Morgan – the chief executive of Breast Cancer Now. “We’ve long known that a family history can define a woman’s risk, and that breast cancer can be more aggressive in younger women,” said Baroness Morgan. A spokesperson for NHS England spokeswoman is in agreement and pointed out that possible changes to the screening programme will be considered in their next review.

If you would like to organise a private breast cancer screening, call 0800 612 9490 to arrange an appointment at Thames Breast Clinic.

Nipple-sparing mastectomy: an FAQ

March 11, 2019/in News /by katharine

We know what a mastectomy does, and we also know about its psychological effects. What you may not have considered is a treatment which removes tumours and potentially dangerous material, but leaves certain features – namely, the nipple – intact. So let us give you a (very brief) overview…

What is nipple-sparing mastectomy?

It’s a removal of the breast tissue, like a traditional mastectomy, but without removal of any of the skin – or the nipple and the areola. This results in the breast looking virtually unchanged and intact – albeit with less volume – with a small scar either in the undercrease of the breast, or out toward the arm. This isn’t a mere cosmetic procedure; many women who have undergone nipple-sparing mastectomy claim an improvement in self-esteem and self-body image, when compared to those who have undergone nipple reconstruction.

Is there still sensation in the nipple after the procedure?

It varies. According to a recent study, between 30% to 60% of women who had undergone the procedure reported a sensation in the nipple, especially over time. That, of course, is completely not possible with a reconstructed nipple. Surgeons who perform the procedure often advise that it will take between six months to a year after surgery before sensation – and in some cases, erectile function – returns.

Who are the best candidates for nipple-sparing mastectomy?

Surgeons report that patients with relatively small, non-aggressive tumours that are peripherally located in the breast and that are not aggressive are generally good candidates for nipple-sparing mastectomy. They also contend that smaller-breasted women are usually more suited to the procedure, and that non-smokers who do not suffer from diabetes are the optimum candidates. As with all cosmetic surgery, it’s treated as a case-by-case decision.

How safe is nipple-sparing mastectomy?

As safe as any other procedure, but there are certain specific risks. As all of the tissue behind the nipple is removed, there is a slight risk of an interruption of the blood supply to it, which may shut off the healing process and result in nipple loss. Furthermore, as you’ll be losing the breast tissue, the blood vessels which normally supply the area may not be good enough to keep the affected area healthy, resulting in skin flap neurosis – a condition which delays wound healing and can even result in the skin (and nipple) dying off.

Does nipple-sparing mastectomy increase the risk of cancer reoccurring?

It depends if the nipple contains any abnormalities or evidence of cancer. There will be an evaluation of the nipple and the issue at the core of it during the surgery, and if any abnormalities are discovered, it will be recommended that it be removed and a nipple reconstruction procedure will be advised. It should be pointed out that this is a relatively rare: the nipple area is the least likely to have a recurrence of cancer because when the procedure is performed properly, as much breast tissue as possible is removed from the area.

What should be my first step towards undergoing nipple-sparing mastectomy?

Our advice, as always, is to seek advice from an oncoplastic breast surgeon that can assess whether you’re an appropriate candidate for this breast conservation technique.

Could a filter make chemo more manageable?

February 20, 2019/in News /by admin

We know that chemotherapy can work for cancer patients, but we also know about the side effects. As well as stopping cancer cells from reproducing, it also has the potential to damage healthy cells, which can lead to hair loss, perpetual tiredness, sickness and vomiting, skin problems, and an increased risk of picking up infections. While the former plus outranks the myriad minuses, no-one is pretending that chemo is easy.

However, news of a trial in the USA indicates that a solution could be on the way – in the shape of an implant which acts as a sponge, straining away the leftover residue of chemo drugs from the bloodstream before they damage the brain or cause hair loss.

According to the trial – which was conducted by researchers at the University of California at Berkley – a filter which was used in testing on animals absorbed up to two-thirds of the unwanted drugs, when it was placed in a major vein leading away from the site of a tumour.

Chemotherapy impurities removed

Amazingly, the idea for the filter was inspired by absorbers used to remove unwanted impurities like sulphur from petrol and works like the stents already routinely used in cardiovascular medicine.

If the results can be reproduced in human tests, this new device could potentially allow the medical community to deliver chemo drugs in higher doses which would usually be too toxic to be used medically.

Researchers from the University of California at Berkley said. “Literally, we’ve taken the concept out of petroleum refining and applied it to chemotherapy,” claimed Professor Nitash Balsara, one of the study authors.

Introducing the Chemofilter

The filter – dubbed the ‘Chemofilter’ – was tested on pigs with the liver cancer chemotherapy drug doxorubicin. Surgeons fitted a wire into the bloodstream and placed the sponge like a stent, leaving it in during the time of therapy. Boasting a honeycomb structure coated with a polymer which reacts with the drug and prevents it being released – just like the catalytic convertor in a car exhaust – the tests reaped very promising results.

According to the study results, the Chemofilter captured 64 per cent of the drug that would otherwise have circulated around the body and caused the usual damage – and the good news, according to another of the authors, is that if it’s shown to work in humans, the fact that it’s a removable implant means that it could be available sooner rather than later.

“We are developing this around liver cancer because it is a big public health threat – there are tens of thousands of new cases every year,” said Dr Steven Hetts. “But if you think about it, you could use this sort of approach for any tumour or any disease that is confined to an organ, and you want to absorb the drug on the venous side before it can distribute and cause side effects elsewhere in the body.”

Obviously, it goes without saying that testing is still in the early phase – and what works on animals may not work on humans – but something like this could eradicate a lot of the negative elements of chemo, so it’ll be worth keeping tabs on.

To arrange a consultation at our private breast cancer clinic, call 0800 612 9490 to speak to one of our team.

Coming soon – the breast cancer calculator?

February 10, 2019/in News /by admin

If a new development worked out by British scientists and researchers comes to fruition, working out the personal risk factor for breast cancer could become a lot easier for the medical community – meaning that women could potentially consult their GPs or choose to see specialists at a private breast cancer clinic such as Thames Breast Clinic, discover their chances of contracting breast cancer, and decide whether or not to be screened.

The research team, working under the umbrella of Cancer Research UK, have deduced a method which assesses a woman’s chances of developing the disease by harnessing their genetic data and the lifestyle risks they take. The goal is to offer a ‘reasonably good’ cancer prediction, by combining family history and genetics with factors such as weight, age at menopause, alcohol consumption and use of hormone replacement therapy.

It all adds up

The thinking behind this is while we know which lifestyle choices create the risks of breast cancer, we also know that most of them aren’t a prime culprit, and that the effect of a collection of risky choices may be the key factor. And while we’re aware that two inherited genes in particular – BRCA1 and BRCA2 – increase the chances of breast cancer, we also know that there are many other genes – up to 300 of them – that are now also thought to play a small part, and their slighter impacts could be the difference which triggers breast cancer.

“This is the first time that anyone has combined so many elements into one breast cancer prediction tool,” said Professor Antonis Antoniou, the lead author of the research at the University of Cambridge. “It could be a game changer for breast cancer, because now we can identify large numbers of women with different levels of risk – not just women who are at high risk.”

A more bespoke service

According to Professor Antoniou, the calculator would be able to help medical community to provide a more bespoke level of care which would be tailored towards a patient’s level of risk: while some women will be given additional appointments with their doctor to discuss screening or prevention options, others can be given advice on their lifestyle and diet.

The knock-on effect of this is obvious: for patients, it could spell an earlier identification of breast cancer, giving women a better chance of treating it. For the medical community, it could be the beginning of less unnecessary screenings, resulting in a huge saving for the NHS.

Although the idea of a breast cancer calculator is still in its infancy, the researchers – who have published a paper in the journal Genetics in Medicine – hope that some practices will give it a try this year. As the research team points out, a large section of the 55,000 breast cancers diagnosed each year in the NHS have been in women at increased risk of the disease. If the calculator works as well as the researchers hope, it could lead to more of those at risk being identified early, when they could be successfully treated either by the NHS or at a private breast cancer clinic.

To make an appointment at Thames Breast Clinic to discuss any concerns you may have, call 0800 612 9490.

Childbirth and breast cancer risk – time to think again?

January 25, 2019/in News /by admin

While we’re aware that there are many factors that come into play when it comes to the development – or non-development – of breast cancer, we’ve been led to believe that childbirth can give women a long-term boost towards the prevention of breast cancer. However, new research from America suggests that this benefit isn’t an instant development.

The study has been conducted by the American College of Physicians, a national organisation of internists based in Philadelphia which is the largest of its kind in the USA, which examined data from 15 studies worldwide from over 800,000 women. And the results suggested that breast cancer risk actually elevates for a time in women who had given birth and were aged 55 or younger.

A long wait for added protection

According to the study, this risk hit its peak about five years after women had given birth, with mothers in this age range having an 80% higher chance of developing breast cancer compared with those women who had not gone through childbirth. And the authors were keen to point out that this risk appeared to be more prominent for women who fit into one of three categories: those who had a family history of breast cancer, people who were older at the time of their first birth, or those who had had more children overall. Breastfeeding appeared to have no impact.

The key finding from the study was that this elevated breast cancer risk disappeared on an average of 23 years after childbirth – and after more than two decades, women began to experience a form of protection from the disease. This is a significant rewriting of one of the tenets of breast cancer prevention and could have major repercussions in future understandings of breast cancer.

“What most people know is that women who have children tend to have lower breast cancer risk than women who have not had children, but that really comes from what breast cancer looks like for women in their 60s and beyond,” claimed Hazel B. Nichols, PhD, one of the study authors. “We found that it can take more than twenty years for childbirth to become protective for breast cancer, and that before that, breast cancer risk was higher in women who had recently had a child.”

Age counts too

Another key finding was that the age of a woman’s pregnancy had a bearing on the elevated risk of breast cancer, and it appears that younger first-time mothers – those under 25 – saw no increased risk in cancer development, while women who had their first child after the age of 35 experienced a higher risk. However, the research team were extremely keen to stress that the overall chance of getting breast cancer was still relatively low for any woman who had given birth.

So, what can be learned from this study? Well, the research team hope that the findings will be taken on board by the medical community to develop a more useful model for breast cancer risk – which, in turn, could lead to more effective screening and prevention methods. But they’re aware that the results concluded that pregnancy is only long-term protection against oestrogen receptor-positive breast cancer – and there are more types of breast cancers around which childbirth has no bearing upon.

What you need to know about male breast cancer

January 13, 2019/in News /by admin

Breast cancer isn’t just a woman’s disease – men can get it too and although there have been many breast cancer awareness campaigns, the majority of them aren’t targeted at men. While male breast cancer in men is a very rare occurrence – one in 1,000 men are likely to contract it over their lifetime, compared to 1 in 8 for women – it still can occur, and it can be just as dangerous.

However, while men are becoming more aware of prostate and testicular cancer, the stigmas around male breast cancer still persist. So let’s break down some of the facts about male breast cancer.

How can men have breast cancer when they don’t have breasts?

Because men also have breast tissue. From birth until puberty, males actually have the same amount of breast tissue as their female counterparts – it’s only when hormonal changes kick in that things start to change for women and stay the same for men. Breast tissue can still swell in males, in certain cases, but gynaecomastia (as it’s known) has no link to breast cancer.

What are the symptoms of male breast cancer?

Symptoms include:

A hard, painless lump in the breast area
An inverted nipple
Discharge from the nipple (which may or may not be streaked with blood)
Soreness and/or a rash around the nipple

Having any of these symptoms does not automatically mean you’re suffering from breast cancer, but it’s vital that you check in with your GP, particularly if you have a lump in the breast area, have nipple discharge and have a close family history of breast cancer.

What causes male breast cancer?

While it’s difficult to pinpoint clear links between certain behaviours and male breast cancer, certain signifiers include:

Family history and genes, namely in instances where faulty versions of genes known as BRCA1 and BRCA2 have been inherited, which increase the risk of breast cancer
Medicines that increase the amount of oestrogen taken into the body, such as hormone treatments which are sometimes used to treat prostate cancer
Obesity and the development of cirrhosis through drinking
Previous exposure to radiotherapy in the chest area

How is male breast cancer treated?

There is a range of treatments available, depending on how advanced the condition is. Possible treatments include a mastectomy, which will involve the removal of the affected breast tissue and nipple, as well as the possible removal of certain glands in the armpit. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy are also possible options.

Is male breast cancer survivable?

Like other cancers, the answer is yes – as long as the cancer is detected early enough. If caught at an early stage, a full recovery is possible. So, although male breast cancer may be much rarer, it is important to raise awareness of the condition as increased knowledge can make the difference between early intervention and a more challenging treatment journey.

New Year’s Resolutions: what you can do in 2019 to fight off breast cancer

December 28, 2018/in News /by admin

If you’re already thinking about your New Year’s Resolutions, you’ll be pleased to hear that a lot of the traditional pledges we make at this time of year correspond nicely with increasing your chances of avoiding breast cancer.

While there are certain risk factors – such as family history – that you can’t do anything about, there are a lot of lifestyle modifications that you can make that will not only make you feel healthier (and in certain cases, wealthier), but will also reduce the risk of breast cancer.

New Year’s Resolution: cut down your alcohol intake

The more alcohol you drink, the greater your risk of developing breast cancer. Simple as that. According to medical studies on the effect of alcohol on breast cancer risk, the general recommendation is that you should aim to cut down your intake to less than one drink a day, as even small amounts of alcohol will increase the risk.

New Year’s Resolution: if you’re smoking, quit now

We all know the link between smoking and cancer, but while the focus is always on lung cancer, there has been evidence of a link between smoking and breast cancer risk, particularly in premenopausal women.

New Year’s Resolution: keep an eye on your weight

It’s a medical fact that being overweight or obese will increase your risk of breast cancer, particularly as you age and especially after menopause. Recent studies claim that a Mediterranean diet supplemented with mostly on plant-based foods, such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and nuts, may be a factor in reducing the risk of breast cancer. Essentially, switching to healthy fats such as olive oil over butter and eating fish instead of red meat can bring on a serious health boost.

New Year’s Resolution: get more physically active

The goal for most healthy adults should be at least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity weekly, plus strength training at least twice a week. In other words, time to sort out a gym membership.

In a large-scale UK study published earlier this year, scientists at Cardiff University analysed data from UK Biobank, an ongoing health study of 500,000 adults. Using information provided on lifestyle behaviours, such as low alcohol consumption, not smoking, exercising regularly and maintaining a healthy weight and eating a good diet, they found that those who adopted all five healthy behavioural patterns had a 35 percent reduction in breast cancer risk.

So, with over 80 percent of New Year’s Resolutions failing by February, this could be the extra incentive to make long-term lifestyle changes.

US doctors pushed to spread the word about breastfeeding reducing the risk of breast cancer

December 6, 2018/in News /by admin

We know the benefits that breastfeeding offers to mothers and babies – that it plays an important role in the health of their newborn baby and has been linked to the improvement in avoiding infant mortality, infections and making a vital contribution to the baby’s overall wellbeing. There are also pronounced benefits for the mother as well: a woman who breastfeeds burns an estimated 500 calories a day, equivalent to a three-mile run.

But according to a medical centre in America, one vital health benefit is being underplayed: the link between breastfeeding and breast cancer. And the people who put the study together feel that that needs to change.

What we know about breastfeeding and breast cancer

According to a pooled analysis of data culled from 47 different studies in the US, there is a definite link between breastfeeding and improving the odds of not developing breast cancer. The mass study concluded that mothers who breastfed for a year over their lifetime (whether it be for one or more baby) were slightly less likely to get breast cancer compared to mothers who had never breastfed.

Furthermore, mothers who breastfed for a lifetime total of two years got about twice the benefit of those who breastfed for a total of one year, and mothers who breastfed for a lifetime total of more than two years got the most benefit.

Too many women kept in the dark

There are many benefits of breastfeeding for both mother and baby, but according to a study conducted by the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, a mere 59 percent of women who had already given birth were aware of the link between breastfeeding and a reduction in breast cancer.

Amongst women questioned in the study who did breastfeed and were aware of the link, 38 percent claimed that this knowledge influenced their decision. Most importantly, when the women in the study who had not breastfed were asked if awareness of the link would have caused them to switch from bottle to breast, nearly 60 percent claimed that if they had known, it would have influenced their decision to breastfeed.

Online communities are more effective than health bodies?

When the study team delved into how women had discovered the benefits of breastfeeding in helping to fend off cancer, they were surprised to discover that a mere 16 percent of women had received this news from their doctor or GP when they were pregnant or recovering from childbirth – and online forums and groups are just as effective in spreading the news. As we know, the internet community is just as good in spreading misinformation as it is the truth, and people are far more likely to listen to a medical professional than a random on Facebook, as the study team were very keen to stress that. But it’s clear that doctors, GPs, midwives and medical bodies are missing a trick here.

We all know that breastfeeding is a personal and sometimes complicated decision, with all manner of factors coming in to play. And while we know that not all mothers can breastfeed, or have valid reasons why they choose not to, it makes sense that every pregnant woman is given the full picture of the potential benefits, so they can make a more informed decision.

British women are falling out of the breast check habit

November 21, 2018/in News /by admin

A recent survey conducted on behalf of the Breast Cancer Now charity brought the alarming news that a mere 48% of British women regularly check their breasts for signs of cancer at least once a month – and almost one in ten had never checked their breasts at all. That means that an estimated 10.5 million women in Britain are putting their health at risk.

According to the survey, which was released last month, most of the women surveyed were aware that a lump was a possible signifier, but only 58% could name three or more common breast cancer symptoms. Couple this with the statistic that 72% of all breast cancers are detected by women who self-examine, and it’s obvious that falling out of the self-check habit is not advisable.

“It is extremely concerning that so many women are not checking their breasts regularly and that many others are not sure what to look for,” said Eluned Hughes, the head of public health for Breast Cancer Now. “It’s so important that all women are breast aware, as the earlier the disease is detected, the more likely treatment is to be successful. Checking your breasts only takes a few minutes. There is no special technique – you can do it whenever suits you – in the shower or waiting for the kettle to boil.”

So, if you’ve fallen out of the habit – or not even got into it in the first place – it makes sense to run down the very simple procedure of performing a breast check.

Get a side angle

Look for lumps in your breasts by standing in front of a mirror side-on, with your arms by your side, and then with arms raised.

Feel for lumps

The best method is to feel each breast and both armpits up to the collarbone area. It may be more convenient to do this in the bath or shower, with soapy hands.

Don’t forget the other breast cancer symptoms

Make sure you check for;

a change in size, outline or shape of your breast
puckering or dimpling of the skin
a new lump or bump in a breast or armpit
discharge or bleeding from the nipple
any change in nipple position, or the nipple being pulled inside the breast or pointing differently
a rash or a moist red area around the nipple which does not heal easily.

If you detect any of these breast cancer symptoms, it makes sense to check in with your GP. It may not be a sign of breast cancer, but it certainly won’t be a waste of anyone’s time and will be a weight off your mind.

If there’s a lump, don’t panic

Lumps can be a common (and natural) occurrence in breasts, and when medically investigated, nine out of ten breast lumps turn to be not cancerous. And the sooner a cancer is detected, the better chance you have of eliminating it. It makes sense to get into the breast-check habit, and – this time – stick to it.