Breast Cancer Prevention Research

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Dh5Wy83
Dh5Wy83 Member Posts: 17 ✭
in General discussion
 Women who have undergone chemotherapy and radiotherapy for Hodgkin's Lymphoma (particularly those treated at a younger age) have an increased risk of going on to develop breast cancer. What is BCNA doing to advocate for research into the prevention of breast cancer in this patient cohort? For example, is research being conducted in Australia on the use of Tamoxifen to prevent the occurrence of breast cancer (BEFORE they are ever diagnosed with breast cancer) in this cohort?
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  • arpie
    arpie Member Posts: 7,588 ✭
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    @Dh5Wy83 ..... is there a link to the info you've raised re Hodgkin's Lymphoma treatment & Breast Cancer?

    In the UK they are starting to use Anastrozole as a 'pre occurrence' med .... I guess it is a matter of time before they do something similar here?
    https://onlinenetwork.bcna.org.au/discussion/26001/anastrozole#latest

  • June1952
    June1952 Member Posts: 1,831 ✭
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    Dh5Wy83 perhaps you can give BCNA a call re this policy question as it is probably far too involved for the general forum, then you can add some info here.
  • Dh5Wy83
    Dh5Wy83 Member Posts: 17 ✭
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    Here is some information on breast cancer diagnosis post treatment for Hodgkin's Lymphoma and childhood cancer. This cohort is high risk of developing breast cancer and developing it at a younger age- 30yr-40yr. Research is being conducted looking to see if breast cancer could be prevented in people who have BRACA 1 and  BRACA 2 genes using medications such as Tamoxifen. Is similar research being conducted for survivors of Hodgkin's Lymphoma and survivors of childhood cancer?
  • arpie
    arpie Member Posts: 7,588 ✭
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    Very interesting - an older friend has just had her 2nd breast recurrence - and had had Hodgkins earlier in her life (but not sure how old she was when she had it.)  She's just finished her chemo (had to miss the last dose due to high temps & infection, in hospital for 10 days.)  She is about to start AIs. 
  • AllyJay
    AllyJay Member Posts: 945 ✭
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    I think there are quite a few medical conditions which predispose people to various cancers, including breast cancer. I have (at last count), four autoimmune diseases, all connective tissue disorders. For the one, scleroderma, there are figures that put the overall risk of cancer developing, at as much as 4.7 times (not percent) as the general population, with age, gender etc all taken into account. The two which I have to be especially concerned about are breast and lung cancer. Well I've had the breast so far... There is much research debate as to whether an abnormal immune system allows single cancer cells to multiply, rather than being killed off by our body's healthy immune system, or if the cancer comes first and triggers an over enthusiastic immune response, and thus a hyper immune response which causes the body to attack itself. The old chicken or the egg situation. Someone like the Garvan Institute might give you some leads in regards to your situation.

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