What is the science behind this project?

Previously, Professor Cuzick’s team led a large study called IBIS-I to see whether the drug tamoxifen, which is already an established treatment for breast cancer, could also help prevent the disease in women at increased risk. The results showed conclusively that tamoxifen reduced breast cancer rates by 30 per cent.

But tamoxifen can cause some side effects, and studies have suggested that anastrozole may be more effective and have fewer side effects.

So Professor Cuzick has set up IBIS-II to investigate whether anastrozole is better than tamoxifen for preventing breast cancer.

The IBIS-II trial is recruiting 10,000 post-menopausal women from more than 40 hospitals worldwide. The women taking part are at increased risk of breast cancer - because they have a strong family history of the disease, for example.

Anastrozole is known to be an effective drug for preventing the recurrence of breast cancer after treatment, but this is the first time it has been tested for use in preventing the disease developing in healthy women.

The people behind the science

Professor Cuzick’s team is internationally recognised as one of the leading groups in its field. The IBIS-II study relies on the help of many doctors and scientists around the world, as well as the thousands of women who are taking part.

Ultimately, this study could help to prevent thousands of women from developing breast cancer in the future.

For more information about breast cancer you can visit our CancerHelp UK website breast cancer pages.You can find out more about this trial on our CancerHelp UK clinical trials database.

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Trish’s story

Trish Jamieson, 55, has a very strong personal reason for taking part in the IBIS-II trial after losing her sister to breast cancer. She heard about the trial when she took part in Race for Life to raise money for Cancer Research UK. She quickly realised that she met all the criteria for the trial and was keen to find out more.

"My sister Noreen died in January 1992, when she was just 38. She had been diagnosed five years earlier after she noticed one of her nipples had inverted. She went to see her doctor and, within days, she was having a mastectomy followed by chemotherapy.

Eighteen months later she went into hospital for breast reconstruction, but the surgeon found a lump in her other breast during the operation and she needed another mastectomy. She had more treatment, but the cancer spread to her bones and then to her brain, which made her go blind, before she died."

Mother-of-three Trish said it was a difficult time for all of the family, especially Noreen’s son Colm, who was just 14 at the time. Trish has also lost her cousin Marie to cancer and admitted that she is very worried about developing breast cancer.

"By taking part in the IBIS-II trial, I feel that I am doing my bit for research and for my children and for future generations. It also gives me peace of mind as, by being on the trial, I am being monitored more closely because of the regular appointments."

As well as helping with the trial, Trish also continues to fundraise for Cancer Research UK and still enjoys taking part in Race for Life each summer.

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