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Hodgkin's disease and breast cancer: A national study of breast cancer after Hodgkin's disease

The aim of this research is to investigate risk factors for breast cancer in women who have had Hodgkin's disease.

Why are we interested?


Hodgkin's disease is a cancer of the lymphatic system. This system forms part of the body's natural defence against infection but occasionally its cells become cancerous in young adults.

It has been discovered in recent years that women who received radiotherapy for Hodgkin's disease when young have a raised risk of developing breast cancer later in life. Our understanding of why this happens is limited, but it is likely that radiation exposure and hormonal and genetic factors play a role.

How are we investigating this?


Breakthrough is supporting a study, on a much larger scale than any previously carried out, to investigate breast cancer risk factors in women who have had Hodgkin's disease.

The study aims to include all women in Britain who have had breast cancer after having Hodgkin's disease since 1971 and who were under age 35 when treated for the disease. Data will be collected to analyse factors that predispose women to breast cancer and comparisons will be made with those who have not had breast cancer.

Rationale


The information collected is important both to enable prevention of breast cancer in this very high-risk group and to understand the complex causes of breast cancer in women in general.

Who is carrying out this research?

This is a collaborative project between The Institute of Cancer Research and Breakthrough Breast Cancer. It is lead by Professor Anthony Swerdlow of The Institute of Cancer Research and Professor Alan Ashworth, Director of the Breakthrough Research Centre.


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