A new study shows that even moderate weight loss could reduce the risk of breast cancer by lowering the levels of oestrogen in the body.
The new research, published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, and conducted by the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre in the USA is the first randomised, controlled clinical trial to test the effects of weight loss on sex hormones in overweight and obese post-menopausal women.
The Breast Cancer Aotearoa Coalition applauds new funding in Budget 2012 for cancer nurse co-ordinators to help alleviate the stress faced by New Zealanders with cancer.
The Minister of Health, Tony Ryall, has announced an additional $33million over the next four years for better and faster cancer services. This includes funding for dedicated nurses to co-ordinate cancer patients’ individual care and support.
Judith Butler’s story.
If someone was to tell me I was going to be bald like Bull Allen for a summer, wear pink and sit naked in a bin covered by kiwifruit, I would have told them they had forgotten to take their medication.
But that is exactly what did happen. I kept a diary of the first five months which has been quite emotional reading back on it.
By Anne Hayden, PhD
BCAC member Anne Hayden shares her treatment story to highlight that there may be alternatives to the usual options of palliative chemo and radiotherapy when newly discovered breast cancer metastases are found.
Enjoy Arnott’s Tim Tam during May and help support women living with breast cancer.
May marks a month-long fundraiser for the Breast Cancer Aotearoa Coalition (BCAC). Supported by Arnott’s, the fundraiser asks you to ‘Show Your Heart’ by buying Tim Tam during the month from Countdown, Super Value or Fresh Choice supermarkets to help BCAC support thousands of women and their families as they tackle breast cancer.
March 2012
"Selective Use of Postoperative Radiotherapy AftEr MastectOmy (SUPREMO) trial"
A new clinical trial, SUPREMO, has recently opened at Waikato hospital inviting participation from women who have had a mastectomy for breast cancer and may be scheduled to undergo radiotherapy following their surgery.
As part of their work around Consumer Engagement, the Health Quality and Safety Commission, is sponsoring 15 people to attend New Zealand’s first health literacy conference. It is being organised by Workbase New Zealand and will be held at Waipuna Hotel and Conference Centre, Auckland on Tuesday 1 May 2012.
Two courageous women in Waikato are currently turning distressing breast cancer experiences into something positive and beneficial for others who may follow them on a similar journey.
During 2011 BCAC reported on a research study underway through the University of Auckland designed to look at the psychological impact of fears about cancer recurrence in women who’ve been treated for breast cancer.
1 March 2012
The Breast Cancer Aotearoa Coalition (BCAC) expressed some disappointment today at the decision by PHARMAC to fund lapatinib (Tykerb) as an alternative to Herceptin for advanced HER2 positive breast cancer for use as a “first-line” metastatic treatment.