My Breakthrough
Our research projects
Breakthroughâs research is focused on understanding all stages in the development of breast cancer; from how breast cancer arises and spreads, to the development of new treatments for the disease.
Understanding the biology of the breast
Only by understanding fully how the normal breast functions, will we be able to understand the changes that take place in breast cancer.
Identifying the causes of breast cancer
At present, the exact cause of the majority of breast cancers is unknown. Identifying the causes of the disease is critical to developing new ways of preventing breast cancer.Understanding gene function
We need to identify genes implicated in the development of breast cancer, and understand their exact role in a cell to understand how these changes lead to cancerous growth.Understanding tumour formation
A cell with genetic errors may divide uncontrollably to form a large mass of cells - a tumour. Normally, when cells behave abnormally they die; we are trying to understand why this doesn't happen with cancer cells.Investigating how breast cancers spread
Some cancerous cells can move out of the tumour and spread around the body. This is the main cause of relapse in patients and is an extremely complex process.Understanding treatments and their side effects
Ultimately, we want to be able to treat breast cancer by milder and more specific means. The scientists work towards this goal by developing new treatments for the disease. In addition, improvements in methods of detecting the disease and better ways to predict how the disease is likely to develop help to determine the most appropriate treatment for a patient with breast cancer. Many people use complementary therapies to help with the side effects of breast cancer treatment but these need to be proven to be safe and effective.Preventing breast cancer
Being able to prevent breast cancer will greatly reduce the fear of breast cancer - the ultimate goal of Breakthrough Breast Cancer. The more we understand about risk factors of the disease, the more we hope to be able to identify methods to reduce these risks.For further information
Elaine Vickerselainev@breakthrough.org.uk
Tel: 020 7025 2486
Fax: 020 7025 2401
Also within "Research"
- Our new research units
- Our research projects
- Our research centre
- Our research strategy
- The Breakthrough Generations Study
