Breast cancer research
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK. Each year almost 46,000 cases of breast cancer are diagnosed in the UK and the disease claims around 12,000 lives.
Cancer Research UK is the largest single funder of breast cancer research in the UK. Our work covers all aspects of the disease, from its molecular causes through to the psychological effects of treatment. Read more about our impact on breast cancer over the years.
Below are some of the highlights of our breast cancer research portfolio. Visit MyProjects to donate directly to our research into breast cancer.
Or find out more on our breast cancer briefsheet.
On this page
Cancer biology
Prof Paul Harkin
Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology
Queen's University, Belfast
Understanding more about the BRCA1 gene
Professor Paul Harkin is Professor of Molecular Oncology at Queen's University Belfast. He is investigating the function of an important gene called BRCA1. Faults in this gene cause some inherited breast cancers. The gene is also often found to be damaged in breast cancers that occur by chance. Understanding more about how BRCA1 works may help scientists to design better cancer treatments.
Cancer genes
Prof Alan Ashworth
Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Centre
Institute of Cancer Research, London
Understanding the genes that increase breast cancer risk
Professor Alan Ashworth is Chief Executive of The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) and leads the Breakthrough Breast Cancer Gene Function team, which is studying how certain faulty genes can increase a person's risk of developing breast cancer. Thousands of women with a strong family history of breast cancer now benefit from research like this, which has enabled doctors to offer them tailored advice, screening and treatment.
Prof Carlos Caldas
Breast cancer functional genomics
Cambridge Research Institute, Cambridge
How damaged genes can cause breast cancer
At our prestigious Cambridge Research Institute, Professor Carlos Caldas is leading a team that aims to identify some of the genes that go wrong when a woman develops breast cancer. To achieve this they are screening thousands of tissue samples.
Prof Doug Easton
Cancer Research UK Genetic Epidemiology Group
University of Cambridge, Cambridge
Hunting cancer susceptibility genes
Professor Douglas Easton is director of the Cancer Research UK Genetic Epidemiology Group at the University of Cambridge. He is world-renowned for his research into genes that affect our risk of common cancers, particularly breast cancer. His team also works on ovarian and prostate cancer, and melanoma. Their findings will help identify high-risk individuals and could lead to new ways of preventing, diagnosing and treating the disease in the future.
Prof Julian Peto
Non-communicable Disease Epidemiology Unit
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London
Epidemiology, genes and cancer
Professor Julian Peto is the Chair of Epidemiology at The Institute of Cancer Research in Sutton, Surrey. His group conducts large population-based studies and genetic research into several cancers, including breast cancer, cervical cancer and mesothelioma.
Dr Paul Pharoah
Department of Oncology, Strangeways Laboratories
University of Cambridge, Cambridge
Genetic variation and cancer risk
Dr Paul Pharoah works at the University of Cambridge, studying how a person's genes, lifestyle and environment interact to determine their cancer risk. In particular, Dr Pharoah is hoping to identify small genetic differences that may affect a person's risk of breast cancer or how they will respond to treatment. He is also investigating the genes and risk factors involved in ovarian cancer.
Prof Bruce Ponder
Cancer Research UK Human Cancer Genetics Research Group
Cambridge Research Institute, Cambridge
Hunting cancer genes
Professor Sir Bruce Ponder is Director and Professor of Oncology at the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Research Institute. He is world-renowned for his pioneering research into discovering genes that affect our risk of common cancers, particularly breast cancer. He is also investigating the genetics of oesophageal cancer.
Prof Nazneen Rahman
Section of Cancer Genetics
The Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton
Searching for genes in breast and childhood cancers
Professor Nazneen Rahman is Professor of Human Genetics and Section Chair of Cancer Genetics at The Institute of Cancer Research. She leads two research teams who are making excellent progress identifying genes associated with an increased risk of breast and childhood cancers.
Cancer spread (metastasis)
Dr Fedor Berditchevski
School of Cancer Sciences
University of Birmingham, Birmingham
Understanding the molecules involved in breast cancer spread
Dr Fedor Berditchevski works at the School of Cancer Sciences at the University of Birmingham. He is studying how breast cancer cells break away from a tumour and start to spread around the body – a process called metastasis. His work is helping us to understand how cancer spreads, which could lead to more effective treatments in the future.
Professor Peter Croucher
Academic Unit of Bone Biology
University of Sheffield Medical School
University of Sheffield, Sheffield
Understanding why cancer spreads to the bones
Professor Peter Croucher is a respected expert in bone research, based at the University of Sheffield. He and his team are investigating how some cancers spread into the bones. This is common in breast and prostate cancers, and once it happens, the disease becomes difficult to treat successfully. Understanding why tumours spread and how to stop them is vital to help beat cancer.
Causes of cancer
Prof Valerie Beral
Cancer Epidemiology Unit
University of Oxford, Oxford
What affects a woman's lifetime risk of cancer?
Professor Valerie Beral directs the Cancer Epidemiology Unit (CEU) in Oxford. Her team is looking at how a woman's lifestyle, including her reproductive and family history, can influence her health and whether she is likely to develop breast cancer.
Prof Doug Easton
Cancer Research UK Genetic Epidemiology Group
University of Cambridge, Cambridge
Hunting cancer susceptibility genes
Professor Douglas Easton is director of the Cancer Research UK Genetic Epidemiology Group at the University of Cambridge. He is world-renowned for his research into genes that affect our risk of common cancers, particularly breast cancer. His team also works on ovarian and prostate cancer, and melanoma. Their findings will help identify high-risk individuals and could lead to new ways of preventing, diagnosing and treating the disease in the future.
Clinical trials
Prof Judith Bliss
Clinical Trials and Statistics Unit
Institute of Cancer Research, London
Improving treatments for breast cancer patients
Professor Judith Bliss leads the Clinical Trials and Statistics Unit at the Institute of Cancer Research based in Sutton. Her team conducts clinical trials, which are vital for testing new ways of treating cancer. Professor Bliss is currently involved in a number of breast cancer trials, which aim to improve different aspects of breast cancer treatment.
Prof Robert Leonard
Cancer Services and Clinical Haematology
Charing Cross Hospital, London
Preserving fertility in breast cancer patients
Professor Robert Leonard is researching ways to preserve the fertility of women who are given chemotherapy to treat their breast cancer.
DNA damage and repair
Prof David Phillips
Section of Molecular Carcinogenesis
The Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton
Investigating cancer-causing molecules in our environment
Professor David Phillips and his team are investigating how certain chemicals in our environment influence cancer development. They are involved in several national and international collaborations and are renowned in this field. Their research will increase our understanding of how cancer develops, and will lead to better ways of preventing several cancers, including breast and lung cancer.
Drug resistance
Dr Simak Ali
Breast Cancer Research Group
Imperial College School of Medicine, London
Understanding breast cancer resistance to hormone treatments
Dr Simak Ali leads the Breast Cancer Research Group based at the Hammersmith Hospital. The team's research focuses on understanding how and why some breast cancers become resistant to hormone treatments such as tamoxifen and anastrozole.
Dr Jason Carroll
Nuclear Receptor Transcription Laboratory
Cambridge Research Institute, Cambridge
Breast cancer: the yin and yang of oestrogen and tamoxifen
Dr Jason Carroll based at our Cambridge Research Institute is exploring the role of the oestrogen receptor (ER) in breast cancer development and treatment. In particular, he is studying how the hormone oestrogen fuels the growth of breast cancer cells by binding to the ER. And his work is focusing on how tamoxifen, a commonly used breast cancer drug, works by blocking the ER. This pioneering work is providing important insights into how some breast cancers become resistant to treatment.
Prof Charles Swanton
Translational Cancer Therapeutics Laboratory
Cancer Research UK London Research Institute, London
Discovering why some breast cancers are resistant to treatment
Professor Charles Swanton is based at our London Research Institute and is finding out how some cancers become resistant to the drugs used to treat them. In particular, he is looking at why drugs known as taxanes are not always effective in women with breast cancer. Professor Swanton specialises in translational research – using his discoveries in drug resistance to develop new ways to effectively treat cancer.
Hormone replacement therapy
Prof Valerie Beral
Cancer Epidemiology Unit
University of Oxford, Oxford
What affects a woman's lifetime risk of cancer?
Professor Valerie Beral directs the Cancer Epidemiology Unit (CEU) in Oxford. Her team is looking at how a woman's lifestyle, including her reproductive and family history, can influence her health and whether she is likely to develop breast cancer.
Hormone therapy
Dr Jason Carroll
Nuclear Receptor Transcription Laboratory
Cambridge Research Institute, Cambridge
Breast cancer: the yin and yang of oestrogen and tamoxifen
Dr Jason Carroll based at our Cambridge Research Institute is exploring the role of the oestrogen receptor (ER) in breast cancer development and treatment. In particular, he is studying how the hormone oestrogen fuels the growth of breast cancer cells by binding to the ER. And his work is focusing on how tamoxifen, a commonly used breast cancer drug, works by blocking the ER. This pioneering work is providing important insights into how some breast cancers become resistant to treatment.
Prof Charles Coombes
Department of Oncology
Imperial College School of Medicine, Hammersmith Hospital, London
Improving treatment for breast cancer
Professor Charles Coombes is director of the Department of Oncology and heads the Section of Cancer Cell Biology at Hammersmith Hospital. He is an outstanding scientist and Cancer Research UK has been funding his work for over twenty years. He and his team are leading the world with their research into new treatments for breast cancer.
Hormones
Dr Simak Ali
Breast Cancer Research Group
Imperial College School of Medicine, London
Understanding breast cancer resistance to hormone treatments
Dr Simak Ali leads the Breast Cancer Research Group based at the Hammersmith Hospital. The team's research focuses on understanding how and why some breast cancers become resistant to hormone treatments such as tamoxifen and anastrozole.
Patient care research
Prof Robert Leonard
Cancer Services and Clinical Haematology
Charing Cross Hospital, London
Preserving fertility in breast cancer patients
Professor Robert Leonard is researching ways to preserve the fertility of women who are given chemotherapy to treat their breast cancer.
Personalised medicine
Prof Carlos Caldas
Breast cancer functional genomics
Cambridge Research Institute, Cambridge
How damaged genes can cause breast cancer
At our prestigious Cambridge Research Institute, Professor Carlos Caldas is leading a team that aims to identify some of the genes that go wrong when a woman develops breast cancer. To achieve this they are screening thousands of tissue samples.
Prof Charles Coombes
Department of Oncology
Imperial College School of Medicine, Hammersmith Hospital, London
Improving treatment for breast cancer
Professor Charles Coombes is director of the Department of Oncology and heads the Section of Cancer Cell Biology at Hammersmith Hospital. He is an outstanding scientist and Cancer Research UK has been funding his work for over twenty years. He and his team are leading the world with their research into new treatments for breast cancer.
Prof Charles Swanton
Translational Cancer Therapeutics Laboratory
Cancer Research UK London Research Institute, London
Discovering why some breast cancers are resistant to treatment
Professor Charles Swanton is based at our London Research Institute and is finding out how some cancers become resistant to the drugs used to treat them. In particular, he is looking at why drugs known as taxanes are not always effective in women with breast cancer. Professor Swanton specialises in translational research – using his discoveries in drug resistance to develop new ways to effectively treat cancer.
Scans (imaging)
Prof Eric Aboagye
Department of Surgery & Cancer
Imperial College, London
Picture this: images of cancer
Professor Eric Aboagye is Director of the Imperial College London Comprehensive Cancer Imaging Centre, which has been set up with support from Cancer Research UK and other funding organisations. He is using sophisticated imaging techniques to tackle cancer.
Screening
Prof Jack Cuzick
Cancer Research UK Centre for Epidemiology, Mathematics and Statistics
Wolfson Institute, Barts and The London, Queen Mary's School of Medicine and Dentistry, London
Cancer prevention and screening
Professor Jack Cuzick runs the internationally renowned Centre for Epidemiology, Mathematics and Statistics at the Wolfson Institute in London. The department carries out a huge range of research on many different cancer types, and is concerned with cancer prevention and screening, especially for breast, cervical and bowel cancers.
Professor Ros Eeles
Section of Cancer Genetics
The Institute of Cancer Research, London
Studying prostate and breast cancer genes
Professor Ros Eeles at the Institute of Cancer Research in Sutton is studying prostate and breast cancer genetics. She is also involved in helping to evaluate the NHS breast screening programme, ensuring that the service continues to improve.
Stem cells
Dr John Stingl
Mammary Stem Cell Laboratory
Cambridge Research Institute, Cambridge
Studying stem cells in breast cancer
Dr John Stingl runs the Mammary Stem Cell Laboratory at our Cambridge Research Institute. His team is studying stem cells that fuel the growth of breast cancer. Understanding these elusive cells will lead to more effective treatments for this disease in the future.
Surgery
Dr Lisa Caldon
Academic Surgical Oncology Unit
University of Sheffield, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield
Factors that influence the treatment of women with breast cancer
Dr Lisa Caldon is a breast cancer surgeon working at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield. She is investigating the factors that influence the treatment of breast cancer, and how women choose between the different surgical options.
Treatment
Professor Peter Mortimer
Cardiac and Vascular Sciences
St George’s Hospital Medical School, London
Preventing the severe side effects of breast cancer treatment
Professor Peter Mortimer is based at St George’s Hospital Medical School in London, and is internationally renowned for his research and clinical expertise in the workings of the lymphatic system. He is uncovering the causes of arm swelling called lymphoedema, a common long-term side effect of treatment for breast cancer. His innovative research could lead to new and more effective ways to prevent or treat the problem, improving the quality of life for many breast cancer survivors in the future.
Dr Desmond Powe
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust
University of Nottingham, Nottingham
Could beta-blockers help tackle breast cancer?
Dr Des Powe is investigating ways to prevent breast cancer from spreading. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK, so his work could benefit thousands of people every year.
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