Strategies Towards Breast Cancer Prevention

Traditional options for women at high-risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer include risk-reducing surgeries. However, this is often unwanted by many women for a variety of reasons, including concerns about fertility and early menopause.  A novel discovery in our lab led us to work with a world-leading genetic consortium (CIMBA) to investigate novel, non-invasive and easily accessible preventative therapies for women at high-risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer. This innovative and potentially transformative research will have many benefits for the health system as well as for patients and their whānau. It could give genetically predisposed young women the opportunity to bear and breastfeed their children by delaying or replacing the need for risk-reducing surgery, and is a vital step towards reducing cancer diagnoses through the development of personalised preventative treatments.

Professor Gabi Dachs

Does vitamin C play a part in cancer progression or cancer therapy?

My team aims to understand the role of vitamin C in patients with cancer so we can provide better health advice to health professionals, patients and the community. We have studied vitamin C in cancer cells and in tumour samples from patients with cancer. We have also carried out clinical studies in people receiving treatment for brain, breast, colorectal and endometrial cancer, to obtain robust scientific evidence for (and against) using vitamin C as an integral part of cancer treatment.

Associate Professor Margaret Currie

Can we prescribe exercise to improve cancer treatment?

There is now strong evidence worldwide that exercise helps people get through surgery and cancer treatment better, and may also lead to improved survival. However, such exercise programmes are not yet routinely available through the healthcare system for people diagnosed with cancer in New Zealand.  We have developed a 12-week personalised exercise programme for women receiving chemotherapy for early breast cancer that improves quality of life and helps maintain or improve physical function during treatment. To continue this work, we have established a large collaboration called ‘Cancer Prehabilitation & Rehabilitation Aotearoa’ (www.cpra.org.nz). CPRA involves clinicians, healthcare providers and researchers from Health NZ, University of Otago Christchurch, University of Canterbury, Active Health Physiotherapy and the Southern Cancer Society. Our aim is to develop evidence-based exercise and nutrition programmes to improve outcomes for all people receiving treatment for cancer in Aotearoa.

Registration

REGISTER HERE

Attending in person, or online via Zoom, please register through the link above.

For all enquiries please contact Angela Craig - angela.craig@otago.ac.nz or 021 279 1934

Interested in hearing another talk on the Advances in Cancer?

Cancer Society Nelson Tasman is delighted to host the Otago University Mackenzie Cancer Research Group to deliver this free community health talk in Motueka.
Find out more here - https://cancernelson.org.nz/community-health-talk/

About The Care Foundation

The Care Foundation is Nelson Marlborough Health’s charity partner and as partners we identify and fund key health initiatives that Government is unable to fund, at both Wairau and Nelson Hospitals and within the communities of the Marlborough, Nelson and Tasman Regions. Funding comes from our community via bequests and general donations, we appreciate any support so please visit our website – The Care Foundation – to find how to donate to our current initiatives.