LOCAL MP JOINS BREAKTHROUGH BREAST CANCER TO ENSURE OLDER PATIENTS ARE GIVEN EVERY CHANCE TO BEAT BREAST CANCER

3.02.47pm GMT Tue 2nd Mar 2010

Local MP John Leech joined forces with Breakthrough Breast Cancer on 24th February, as the charity launched the Breakthrough Breast Cancer Every Chance campaign to tackle the barriers that limit equal access for older patients to breast cancer treatments and care.

John made his commitment to equality within the NHS after hearing mounting evidence that older breast cancer patients are missing out on every chance to access appropriate treatment.

Recent research funded by Breakthrough and others shows that some older patients are not benefiting from the advances in radiotherapy, chemotherapy and surgery over the last ten years that have dramatically improved the survival chances of younger patients:

Breast cancer patients aged over 80 are 40 times less likely to receive surgery than younger patients (1)

Where surgery does take place older women are significantly less likely to receive breast conserving surgery (1)

Older women are significantly less likely to receive standard treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy than younger women (2)

Daphne Cook had been diagnosed with breast cancer aged 74 and was told by her consultant that she needn't have radiotherapy if her age meant it was difficult for her to get to the hospital to have the life-saving treatment. Luckily for Daphne, her daughter, a health professional, was with her and questioned the consultant's reasoning.

The risk of breast cancer increases with age and currently a third of all breast cancers occur in women aged 70 and over. Experts predict a rise from nearly 46,000 women diagnosed with breast cancer today, to 57,000 in 2024 (4) - an increase of over 20% meaning potentially thousands more breast cancer patients.

John Leech said:

"It is really important that all breast cancer patients receive fair treatment regardless of their age.

"Breakthrough has highlighted current inequalities through their Every Chance campaign so anyone who feels they did not receive full access to treatment because of their age should get in touch with me and I'll share your experiences with the charity."

Jeremy Hughes, Chief Executive of Breakthrough Breast Cancer, said:

"Ten years ago women like Daphne were not being given a full range of treatment options and our research has found this is still the case today, despite many advances in breast cancer treatment.

"With nearly 12,000 women dying of breast cancer each year it is scandalous that all women are not receiving equal access to the treatments they need. Breakthrough Breast Cancer's Every Chance campaign highlights that in breast cancer treatment, where risk of disease increases with age, older patients could once again be discriminated against. Whoever forms the next Government needs to make sure that age equality is at the top of their agenda so we can put a stop to what doctors have themselves called institutional ageism in the NHS (4)."

Breakthrough's Every Chance campaign is calling for treatment to be based on clinical need rather than age and seeks to open the debate around the issue of age equality. We are campaigning to ensure that regardless of age, all breast cancer patients have every chance:

to access the treatments and care that will benefit them

to access appropriate clinical trials

to make informed choices about their treatment

And that all women over 70 and who are no longer routinely invited to breast screening have every chance to access this vital life-saving service.

<ENDS>

(1)Lavelle, K., Todd, C., Moran, A., Howell, A., et al. Non-standard management of breast cancer increases with age in the UK: a population based cohort of women > or = 65 years. British Journal of Cancer; 2007; 96(8): 1197-203.

(2) Clinical outcome data for symptomatic breast cancer: the breast

cancer clinical outcome measures (BCCOM) project 2009

(3) Statistical information Team Cancer Research UK Cancerstats Cancer Projections Series. Breast cancer projections to 2024: Future Rates and Numbers of New Cases in Great Britain and the UK 2008.

(4) Health Service Journal, NHS to Outlaw Age Discrimination, 23 October 2009

Notes to editors

For further information about this press release or to interview a Breakthrough spokesperson please call Michele Cefai in the Breakthrough Press Office on 020 7025 2454 or out of hours 07778 682 001

Older patients, and their relatives, who feel they may not have had full access to treatment and would like to help Breakthrough identify the barriers patients face can also email the charity direct at everychance@breakthrough.org.uk

About Breakthrough Breast Cancer

Breakthrough Breast Cancer's 'Every Chance' campaign is one of the charity's key calls in the run up to the 2010 General Election.

Breakthrough Breast Cancer funds ground-breaking research, campaigns for better services and treatments and raises awareness of breast cancer. Through this work the charity believes passionately that breast cancer can be beaten and the fear of the disease removed for good. Find more information at www.breakthrough.org.uk or call free on 08080 100 200.

The Breast Cancer Clinical Outcome Measures (BCCOM) Project

The BCCOM Project aims to collect high quality data on breast cancer cases in order to compare current practices and clinical outcome. This important study has the potential to improve disease management and improve breast cancer service provision across the UK.

The BCCOM project aims to develop mechanisms to improve the collection of data for symptomatic breast cancer and to audit the management of these cancers in the UK. The data are obtained by tapping into existing sources such as the data currently collected by cancer registries. These data are then analysed to generate information on the clinical outcome of individual breast services. This allows the comparison of current practise at a surgical, hospital and regional level with national management guidelines and accepted best practise. The data collected are fed back to participating surgeons and also to the wider breast management team. This unique collection of data could improve breast cancer service provision and patient outcomes.

The BCCOM Project was funded by Breakthrough Breast Cancer from 2003 to 2009.