February 2007 transcript

The February podcast features Gloria Hunniford, describing her passion for Race for Life. We also find out how radiotherapy research is getting a boost, and discover how a stuffed parrot has helped to support Cancer Research UK.

Kat: Coming up later, Gloria Hunniford encourages women everywhere to strap on their trainers and join in the Race for Life, and weíll find out how rationalising your wardrobe could help more than just your image. But first, hereís Josephine Querido with a run-down of the latest in cancer and research.

Josephine: We start with the news that a  new treatment for the most common form of lung cancer, developed from initial work by Cancer Research UK scientists, has entered pivotal large-scale clinical trials. The drug is called Stimuvax, and itís a type of treatment known as immunotherapy. Stimuvax encourages a patientís immune system to seek out and destroy cancer cells. Because it is targeted to cancer cells, Stimuvax is less likely to harm healthy tissues, and may therefore cause fewer side effects than conventional cancer drugs.

The initial work on Stimuvax was carried out by Cancer Research UK-funded scientists led by  Professor Joyce Taylor-Papadimitriou. Their discoveries were then developed into a treatment by a Canadian company called Biomira, and the treatment was tested in small-scale clinical trials. The next step for Stimuvax is a large-scale trial, recruiting up to 1,300 lung cancer patients in 30 countries. The trial is due to start soon, although weíll have to wait for a couple of years before the results come through.

Itís time for celebration as Cancer Research UK-funded scientist Professor Steve West has been awarded a prestigious international prize for his work. The Louis-Jeantet Prize for Medicine is awarded every year to between one and three of the top scientists carrying out medical research across Europe. Professor West won the award for his pioneering work, which has provided important new insights into the development of cancer.

For example, during his research, Professor West helped to discover for the first time why faults in a DNA repair gene called BRCA2 can lead to breast and ovarian cancer in some women. Professor West has been based at the Cancer Research UK London Research Institute for more than twenty years. He spoke to us on the phone to share his excitement at the news.

Comment - Professor Steve West

"This is a shared prize between myself and a researcher in Cambridge, Venki Ramakrishnan - he's done some wonderful work. It's a great honour to be awarded this prize. It's very prestigious, and it's nice to be acknowledge by one's peers. I joined the Imperial Cancer Research Fund in 1985, and Cancer Research UK was created five years ago by the merger of the ICRF and the Cancer Research Campaign. So for twenty years I've had tremedous support from Cancer Research UK."

Josephine: Thatís all the news for now. If you want to get the latest from Cancer Research UK and scientists around the world, then have a look at our News & Resources website. Back to you, Kat.

Kat: Thanks Josephine. While youíre here, Iíd like to ask you about a story in the news last month suggesting that housework can reduce the risk of breast cancer. As someone who probably doesnít do enough cleaning, Iíd really like to know if this is true?

Josephine: It is, but itís not quite as simple as that. Youíre asking about some results from  a large-scale study called EPIC thatís looking into all aspects of lifestyle, diet and cancer risk of half a million Europeans. Cancer Research UK is helping to fund the UK part of the study. In this particular case, the EPIC team were analysing data that just related to breast cancer and physical activity in around 200,000 European women. The team found that the women who did the most physical activity were around twenty or thirty percent less likely to develop breast cancer than those who did the least activity. /p>

Kat: But how does housework come into it?

Josephine: Well, the researchers categorised the different types of physical activity that the women did, into recreational exercise such as sport, activity at work, and activity in the home including housework, DIY, gardening and childcare. Most of the women in the study either had sedentary jobs, or did not work outside the home, and few of them did much sport. So the most common form of exercise was actually household activity. And therefore itís not surprising that those who were doing the most physical activity were actually doing the most household activity ñ including housework.

Kat: So does this mean that if I have an untidy house, Iím going to get breast cancer?

Josephine: Not necessarily ñ and having a spotless home canít guarantee that you wonít get the disease. But doing lots of physical activity will reduce your likelihood of getting breast cancer. And this research shows that you donít necessarily have to sweat it out in the gym, being active in the home and garden can also do you a lot of good. You can also reduce your risk of breast cancer in other ways ñ for example by watching how much alcohol you drink. And of course, every woman should be breast aware, and go for breast screening when youíre invited.

Kat: And finally, isnít this all just a bit sexist, telling women to do the housework?

Josephine: In this analysis, the researchers were only looking at the effects of activity on women, so of course they will only relate to women. But youíll be pleased to know that  other results from EPIC have found that activity can cut bowel cancer risk in both men and women ñ and that also includes activity in the home, such as housework or gardening. So thereís no excuse for men to dodge the dusting either! You can find out more about this research in the  Behind the Headlines section of the News and Resources website.

Kat: Over the past twelve years, more than two million women have taken part in Cancer Research UKís Race for Life series, running, jogging or walking five kilometres to raise a staggering £140 million for our vital research. Registrations for Race for Life 2007 open on the 5th of February, and with races in 280 locations across the country, youíre bound to find one nearby. Broadcaster Gloria Hunniford is a firm supporter of Race for Life, following the loss of her daughter Caron Keating to breast cancer. I caught up with Gloria during a break in her hectic recording schedule and asked her why she was such as fan of the events.

Interview: Gloria Hunniford

Gloria talks about her passion for Race for Life, as one of the most emotional and exciting days she's ever witnessed. She describes the joy of celebration, for people who have beaten cancer, and the sadness of those who have lost friends and family to cancer. Gloria herself lost both her mother and daughter to breast cancer, and the day is very moving for her.

Race for ife is not just about raising awareness, but it's about raising money for Cancer Research UK, to find new ways to beat cancer. Gloria says, "Just do it - even if you have to crawl the five kilometres! It's just such a wonderful day out. If you do it, you'll never regret it, but you'll always want to do it year after year."

Kat: This year, weíre hoping to see more than 800,000 women taking part in Race for Life, and raise more than £60 million towards our research. If youíd like to register for Race for Life, then visit the Race for Life website. Entries open on the 5th of February. The event is only open to women, but men are more than welcome to come along and cheer. Alternatively, if youíd like to volunteer to help the races run smoothly, then you can sign up online. Finally, donít forget that Race for Life is a sponsored event, raising money for Cancer Research UKís vital work into ways to diagnose, treat and prevent cancer. So if you take part, remember that the easiest way to collect sponsorship is through an online donation page. You can find out more at www.raceforlifesponsorme.org.

Kat: Although the weather isnít great, Spring is on the way. Itís a great time for having a good clear-out, and chucking out your old clothes. But before you throw them in the bin, why not give them to Cancer Research UK? Weíre running a campaign called ìDonate for a Differenceî, to highlight the fact that the old clothes you take to one of our shops will raise valuable funds for our research into cancer. Every bag of clothes could be worth as much as £30, so itís a perfect excuse for a clearout. And while youíre visiting one of our 600 shops, you can pick up a brand new look. Donate for a Difference is backed by fashionista Caryn Franklin, who has more than 25 years of experience in the fashion industry, including presenting The Clothes Show on TV. I asked her how to go about rationalising my wardrobe.

Interview: Caryn Franklin

Caryn recommends throwing out anything that doesn't fit you properly. Also, buy very trendy items on the High street to wear with classic pieces, then donate these in a few months. And even if your donated clothes have seen better days, they can still be recycled by charity shops. With 600 shops across the UK, Cancer Research UK has more outlets than Marks and Spencer, so you're bound to have one nearby.

Radiotherapy is an important treatment for cancer, and around half of all people with the disease will receive some form of radiotherapy. Treatment involves targeting cancer cells with radiation, which damages them so much that they die. But targeting such a potent force accurately is challenging. Serious side effects can be caused by the effects of stray radiation on healthy cells surrounding the tumour. And sometimes, cancer cells can become resistant to the treatment.

In order to improve the effectiveness and targeting of radiotherapy, Cancer Research UK has invested millions of pounds in a  new centre for radiotherapy research, also known as radiobiology. The new centre will be based in Oxford, and will bring together scientists from all over the world, to develop ways to improve the treatment. Research has already started in the Oxford area, and a new building to house the teams is due to be completed this year.

Professor Gillies McKenna is a world expert in radiotherapy research, and has been recruited from the US to head up the new radiobiology institute. Our roving reporter Josephine Querido spoke to him to find out more about the aims of the new centre.

Interview: Professor Gillies McKenna

We are using radiation more frequently in treating patients with cancer, because it can add to the benefits of chemotherapy and surgery. We are trying to build a better machine for delivering radiotherapy, using charged particles instead of the more usual X-rays. If we use charged particles, lower doses of radiotherapy are needed. This will reduce radiation damage to healthy tissues surrounding a tumour, and help to reduce side effects.

Cancer Research UK supports the work of around three and a half thousand scientists, doctors and nurses across the UK. But none of their research would be possible without the generous donations of our supporters. Last year, we spent more than £250 million on research into cancer, but you may not realise that around half of this came from gifts that people have left to Cancer Research UK in their will. Over the past month, weíve been running a campaign to raise awareness of the importance of legacies, in beating cancer, called ìWhere thereís a Will thereís a Wayî. I caught up with Paul Farthing, Director of Legacy Fundraising at Cancer Research UK, to find out more about the role of these vital gifts.

Interview: Paul Farthing

Last year, we were given more than £130 million in legacy gifts. They help to fund our long-term research and let us plan ahead. Legacies can be a great way to fight back - to have a final say in beating cancer. We would recommend making a will through a solicitor - so you don't miss out a grandchild by mistake! Some people don't just leave money or property. We've been left an oil well, a flock of sheep and a dead parrot. We were even given a set of swordsticks that we handed in to the police as a dangerous weapon. We don't encourage it, but it's always interesting when something unusual comes through the door.

If you'd like to find out more about leaving a gift to Cancer Research UK in your will, then have a look at our legacy information website.

Kat: We've reached the end of the show so we hope youíve enjoyed the podcast. We want to know what you think of the show, so please leave your feedback about the podcast by filling in the  survey on our webpage. And donít forget that you can sign up to our RSS feed to get the latest Cancer Research UK podcast delivered straight to your computer every month. And if youíd like to get involved in our podcast, or simply let us know what you think, then email us at podcast@cancer.org.uk

Weíll be back next month with a special royal edition, as the Queen opens a new Cancer Research UK Institute in Cambridge, and Iíll be off with my spoon in search of Britainís Biggest Breakfast. Until then, goodbye!

• Credits:
• Presented and produced by Kat Arney
• News by Josephine Querido and Kat Arney
• Post-production by Henry Sowcroft
• Original music written and performed by Kat Arney and Henry Scowcroft
• With special thanks to Nicola OíConnor, Jack Wallington, and all the participants