Speakers

Dr George Wiggins

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.