| Dr Anthony Leathem MD - Director of ABC Research 
Dr Leathem qualified in medicine at BirminghamUniversity in 1968 and has been carrying out research into breast cancer for more than twenty years. His aim is to find a way to increase the survival of sufferers through the study of secondary spread. |
Against Breast Cancer Research Team:
- Louiza Velentzis - Trials Manager
for ABC Diet & Lifestyle Study
- Ann Titcomb - Study Co-ordinator,
London
- Annie Perkins
- Victoria Anderson
- Kayleigh Wardell
- Monika Mazurowska
- Simon Fry – Research Fellow
Collaborative Research:
- Dr Jayne Woodside, Phd - Epidemiologist
- Dr Miriam Dwek
- Prof Udo Schumache - Hamburg University
Germany
Research Strategy:
The Against Breast Cancer Research Team is based
at the University College London, with 50 units
around the country, and is funded by the charity
Against Breast Cancer.
The Against Breast Cancer research programme
is looking at secondary spread, when cancer cells
travel from the breast to other, often vital,
parts of the body to form additional cancers.
Through our work we want to improve the care,
treatment and survival rates of women with, and
at risk of, the disease. Our work is a unique
combination of the following research: Diet &
Lifestyle, Biochemistry and Immunology.
Diet and Lifestyle
Much of the advice currently given out about diet
and cancer is unproven. The Against Breast Cancer
Diet & Lifestyle co-ordinators are leading
a ten year study to find scientific evidence about
what foods, exercise and other lifestyle factors
affect the progress of breast cancer.
The Against Breast Cancer study involves looking
at the diet and lifestyle of women with breast
cancer by asking them to fill out questionnaires
and give samples of blood and urine. Their progress
is then tracked over a period of five years. We
aim eventually to provide proven advice on how
changing your diet and lifestyle can improve your
chances of surviving breast cancer.
Biochemistry
 Against
Breast Cancer Biochemists are examining how breast
cancer cells are made up in order to understand
why some cancers spread and others do not. Our
biochemists are studying complex sugars that they
suspect play an important role in the spread of
breast cancer. Early work has suggested that these
sugars, which are found in human cells, could
play a part in the development of cancer cells.
Continuing work involves closer examination of
complex sugars to see whether they can be used
as a way of either detecting the disease.
Immunology
 Against
Breast Cancer Immunologists are looking at the
possibilities for finding a vaccine against breast
cancer. Against Breast Cancer researchers believe
that some sufferers may have a natural immunity
to the disease, which keeps the growth of cancer
cells in check. If true, this could help all future
sufferers. Against Breast Cancer research has
already shown that those cancers which have spread
to other parts of the body have low levels of
natural immunity. We are now looking at how a
person’s own immunity could be stimulated
to fight secondary spread.
For more information about our research centres
please go to: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/abc-research-group/
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