Breast cancer: Support vital research into preventing and treating the disease
Last updated: 09/01/2013
Why this research is needed
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK. Each year more than 48,400 women and around 370 men are diagnosed with the disease.
With around 11,600 lives claimed by breast cancer every year in the UK, it's the second most common cause of death from cancer in women after lung cancer.
The impact of our work
Our nationwide research is creating a brighter future. More than 8 out of 10 women now survive breast cancer beyond 5 years, compared with around 5 out of 10 women in the 1970s.
Our researchers work to understand all aspects of the disease, from its molecular causes to improving prevention, diagnosis and treatment. The great progress we have made underpins today's treatments and has helped save thousands of lives around the world.
Supporting this project
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Anonymous donated
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diane donated
£25.00
Money donated as part of we...
Money donated as part of wedding gift in memory of brides best friend and grandmother and grooms mother who all died of breast cancer. 
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Anonymous donated
£20.00
Another cheque to add to th...
Another cheque to add to the amount donated in memory of Pauline Fielder.
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Peter donated
£25.00
In memory of Ann Walker
Project closed – January 2013
Thank you to everyone who has fundraised and generously donated to help us to reach the project target of £50,000 in just 6 months. This is an incredible achievement and we really appreciate your support.
Fundraising and donations to this project have now closed, but we are raising money for another area of breast cancer research that you can support:
Breast cancer: Fund vital research to understand the role of genetics
Your donations will help us fund several breast cancer research projects which are outlined below.
Understanding how breast cancer develops
Cancer is a disease caused by faulty genes. Our researchers have led the world in discovering many of the genes involved in breast cancer, including BRCA2. Inheriting a faulty gene can increase the risk of developing the disease.
Research breakthroughs like this help us to identify and advise those at greatest risk, target screening and design more effective ways to prevent and treat breast cancer. Thousands of women with a strong family history of the disease now benefit from these discoveries.
At our Cambridge Research Institute, Professors Bruce Ponder and Doug Easton, and Dr Paul Pharoah are some of our scientists working to unravel the genetic causes of breast cancer.
In Sutton, Dr Nazneen Rahman is unravelling the genetic code of 1,000 women with a family history of breast cancer to find new genes linked to the disease.
And in Dundee, Professor Kevin Hiom is investigating the role of the breast cancer gene BRCA1 to shed light on how breast cancers grow.
Improving prevention and diagnosis
Our work uncovering the links between hormones, lifestyle and breast cancer risk is helping to save lives. Professor Valerie Beral in Oxford is leading a worldwide study involving over one million women, investigating the effects of hormones and childbearing on breast cancer risk.
Research like this helps to provide accurate information, empowering people to make important choices about their life and health.
And in Sheffield, Professor Colby Eaton is homing in on the molecules controlling how breast cancer spreads. This work could lead to new approaches to prevent and treat advanced disease.
Improving treatment
We have transformed breast cancer treatment over the last few decades. Our work has shaped the use of tamoxifen, considered to be the most important drug in the history of breast cancer treatment, and has saved thousands of lives around the world.
Our scientists continue to improve the outlook for patients. In Sutton, Professor Judith Bliss's team is running large-scale clinical trials testing new ways of treating the disease.
In London, Professor Charles Swanton's cutting-edge work investigating why some breast cancers don't respond to treatment is setting the stage for more effective therapies.
And in Birmingham, Professor John Heath is pinpointing the molecules that drive breast cancer, aiming to design better treatments, with fewer side effects.
The difference you can make
Our life-saving research has helped hundreds of thousands of people with breast cancer to survive their disease. It's thanks to the generosity of our supporters, that we are able to continue to fund pioneering research, helping even more people beat breast cancer.
Please donate now to support our vital work into this disease.
