October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It’s more important than ever that we use events like this to increase understanding of this disease as since the awareness month began in the 90s, there’s been an 18% increase in the number of people diagnosed.

Around one in seven women in the UK develop breast cancer in their lifetime. Men can also get it and account for just under one per cent of all diagnoses.

As with other types of cancer, the earlier it’s detected, the better chance of successful treatment and recovery.

Checking yourself regularly, and knowing what’s normal for you, is hugely important in identifying changes which should be checked out by your GP. Find out more about touch, look, check on the Breast Cancer Now website.

Research studies are one of the ways we can learn more about diseases like breast cancer and find new and innovative treatments.

Nicola,  a senior clinical research nurse at our Trust, is principal investigator of a trial we’re currently part of: SWEET (Supporting Women with Adherence to Adjuvant Endocrine Therapy), a study to support women to take their hormone therapy following breast cancer.

She said:

I’ve been a cancer nurse since leaving university in 2003. I moved into research nursing as I felt it was a chance to improve my patients’ care by helping to find new treatments. I love supporting people through their treatment and get great job satisfaction when they respond well. That’s probably why I’ve stayed in research for 14 years, longer than any other job I’ve been in.

As senior research nurse, I recruit cancer patients onto clinical trials by offering them the opportunity and they decide if it’s right for them. If they do decide to take part, I support them throughout.

I have ongoing consultations with them, which can be over long periods (up to 10 years with this trial). It’s really important they have one point of contact to answer any questions or concerns, especially as they have often been discharged following the completion of their treatment.

As principal investigator (PI) I’m in charge of the management of SWEET. It’s a big responsibility as I must ensure we follow Good Clinical Practice and are recording accurate data.

It’s the first study where I’ve been PI and I did feel nervous about the responsibility but I’ve enjoyed gaining this experience and leading my own study.

The SWEET study is for women who’ve had invasive oestrogen receptor positive breast cancer, where the cancer cells have receptors that allow them to use the hormone oestrogen to grow. Treatment with endocrine (hormone) therapy can block the growth of cancer cells and prevent it from returning. However around 50% of women aren’t continuing the therapy, or taking it as prescribed, five years later. This means they can have up to a three times higher chance of the cancer recurring.

This trial is testing a support package, called HT&Me, to encourage and support women to take their hormone therapy. Patients are randomly chosen to either test the support package or continue with the usual NHS care.

Nicola added:

For those selected to have the HT&Me, we have an initial consultation, and I see them again in three months to see how they are and support with any side effects. After a six-month follow-up, I see them annually for up to 10 years. Each time they’re asked to do the same questionnaire they did at the start, so we can track any changes.

I also follow-up the patients not on the support package and they are asked to complete the same questionnaire too. Once we have all the information it will be compared to see which group was more likely to keep taking their hormone therapy.

In the first six months of the trial, which is being run across 80 NHS sites, we’ve signed up 36 patients, double the number we expected in the entire first year.

If you’d like to find out more about taking part in research, visit the National Institute for Health and Care Research website.