Very Interesting
Very Interesting Guys just thought you should see this - again no mention of Men with Breast Cancer.
Release date: 25 January 2006 Cancer Research UK website
The number of registered cases of an early form of breast cancer called Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS)(*) has increased, according to new figures released today by Cancer Research UK. These show that in 2002 nearly 3800 women in the United Kingdom were diagnosed with DCIS compared with 2910 five years earlier.
DCIS occurs when the cells inside the ducts of the breast have started to turn into cancer cells. Some doctors describe DCIS as a very early form of breast cancer, others call it a ‘pre-cancerous condition’ because it often develops into an invasive cancer if it is not treated. Women who have had DCIS are at higher risk of getting cancer in the same breast and in the opposite breast as well as being more likely to develop more advanced forms of breast cancer.
The news of the increase in cases of DCIS comes as Cancer Research UK announces the start of a worldwide study to investigate which breast cancer treatment drug, anastrozole or tamoxifen(*2), is better at preventing the disease from returning in women who have had DCIS. The groundbreaking study, called IBIS-2 DCIS(*3), is the largest international trial to compare tamoxifen and anastrozole in the prevention of breast cancer recurrence in women with DCIS
Many breast cancer experts believe that hormone therapies, like tamoxifen or anastrozole, may be effective in protecting women with DCIS from developing breast cancer in the future although they are still unclear on which therapy is best.
Cheers David W
Must get your goat And from Cancer Research UK, too!
I first learned that men can get breast cancer long years ago, by accident, when I had a temporary job in the private wing at Guy’s Hospital and had to entre up some record about a male patient who had BC. I queried this with the boss and he told me it was no mistake but that men can get it too.
Some years ago there was a big article in one of the serious broadsheet newspapers - can’t recall which - featuring a leading QC who had had surgery this condition. A photo showed him barechested. The article said he wanted to help publicise the “men can get breast cancer too” story and mentioned he had now returned to playing tennis regularly . The article was probably published because of his social standing. I wonder if there are any other public figures who might be in the same position and could be persuaded to help highlight this issue.
What about this! A question I asked a Cancer research company (who are not in the UK but in a country with a large population and also process research on behalf of other nations)-
“I have been reading with interest your research regarding the effects of Breast Cancer related drugs. I cannot find any information relating to the research of the effects these drugs have on men. Has any of this research involved men?”
Their answer:
"With regard to your e-mail enquiry below, I have consulted with my
colleagues specialising in breast cancer research, and they have confirmed that we are not currently involved in any clinical trial work on the treatment of breast cancer in men. The main reason for this is that male breast cancer is so rare that it is not possible to recruit a large enough population of patients to run a meaningful study.
There are, however, therapeutic options available for the treatment of male breast cancer, which I am sure your physician would be happy to discuss with you.
I am sorry I cannot be of greater assistance on this occasion but would like to thank you for taking the time and trouble to contact us and for your interest in ************." (name deleted)
Sound familiar?
Brian
Trials or the lack of them for men Yes it does Brian - why aren’t they trying so called healthy men - they choose females who have not developed breast cancer for trials - dont they.
David W