WENDY JOINS 100,000 WOMEN IN GROUNDBREAKING BREAST CANCER STUDY

Wendy Alexander MSP has joined the world’s most comprehensive study into the causes of breast cancer – the Breakthrough Generations Study. The study will follow 100,000 women for the next 40 years, providing information about lifestyle, environmental, genetic and hormonal factors which will help identify the causes of breast cancer. In future the findings will help women to reduce their risk of the disease and hopefully to ultimately prevent it.

Wendy said:

“I am very pleased to be able to take part in the Breakthrough Generations Study to help establish what actually causes breast cancer. Breast Cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women in Scotland. It accounts for nearly 1 in 3 of all cancers in women. With over 900 women in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area diagnosed with the disease each year and over 250 women still dying every year in our health board area we need to find out why and I am keen to play my part.”

“Women from all walks of life will work together with scientists to try to find answers to breast cancer.”

The Breakthrough Generations Study has been set up in partnership between Breakthrough Breast Cancer and The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR). The ongoing analysis costs of the study are being met in part by Marks & Spencer, through its support of Breakthrough Breast Cancer.

If you would like to find out more about the Breakthrough Generations Study visit www.breakthroughgenerations.org.uk

Breast Cancer Facts:

• Around 4,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year in Scotland, 928 alone in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board Area in 2006.

• Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women in Scotland. It accounts for nearly 1 in 3 of all cancers in women.

• More than 1,000 women die of breast cancer every year in Scotland. 259 women die from breast cancer died in 2007 in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board Area.

• It is estimated that over 80% of women diagnosed with breast cancer in Scotland will survive for at least for five years.

• The most recent estimate suggests around 1 in 100 women in Scotland have had a diagnosis of breast cancer.

• Over 80% of Breast Cancer occurs in women over 50 years of age.

• More women than ever before are surviving breast cancer thanks to better awareness, better treatments and better screening.

• Around 20 men are diagnosed with breast cancer each year in Scotland.

Breast Cancer Risk Factors:

• Although we still don’t know the exact causes of breast cancer, we do know that women who maintain a healthy weight can reduce their risk of developing the disease.

• Getting older increases a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer.

• Find out what else can increase or decrease risk at: http://www.breakthrough.org.uk/about_breast_cancer/breast_awareness_ris-factors