February 2010 podcast transcript

0min00
Welcome to the Cancer Research UK podcast. This month, scientists find a use for so-called junk DNA; researchers reveal the impact of the cervical cancer vaccine; and we drum up support for a Bill to protect children from the dangers of sunbeds. I’m Rachel Gonzaga from Cancer Research UK.

The human genome is littered with stray DNA sequences that scientists used to call “junk DNA”, because it wasn’t clear what its function was. But new research suggests it may have a role in cancer.

Cancer Research UK scientists found that crucial chemical messages are produced by bits of this DNA. Importantly, the messages are only found in bowel and breast cancer cells.

Science information office Dr Kat Arney says that this information could help us to understand more about cancer.

“In the past researchers haven’t really paid much attention to these kinds of molecules, but it is very interesting that we’ve found them now in breast can bowel cancer cells.

We don’t know exactly why they’re there or what they’re doing, but if we can understand more about them, then possibly they could help us to find new ways to treat cancer, or diagnose cancer in the future.”

1min25
The HPV vaccine is given to girls aged 12 and 13 to prevent cervical cancer. For the first time, our researchers have calculated the number of cancers that could be prevented by the jab.

Their estimates show that, by 2025, around 145 cases of cervical cancer will be prevented each year. On top of this, thousands of women will be spared from having abnormal cervical cells that could develop into cancer.

Professor Jack Cuzick explains why this is great news, but that the vaccine needs to go hand in hand with screening.

“I think already the screening programme has been very effective, and it prevents about 70 per cent of all cervical cancers, which is about the same benefit that’s being provided by the vaccination.

So if women simply choose to get vaccinated and not screened, then there will be no net benefit – they’re simply replacing one approach with another. But if they have both, there is a very major benefit.”

2min22
Cancer Research UK recently held a briefing in Parliament to kick start an MPs campaign to get sunbeds banned for under 18s.

Julie Morgan, MP for Wales North, introduced a Private Members Bill, which would protect children from the dangers of sunbeds. She needed MPs to turn out in force and vote to pass her bill.

“I think it’s really important that we protect young people under 18 from the effects of exposure to sunbeds. It’s a fairly simple step that we need to take, and I think that it’s widely accepted that the damage done to the skin by the use of sunbeds can lead to cancer later in life, and can be dangerous to young people. So I think it’s an important step we need to take.”

Nicola Roberts from Girls Aloud was there too to show her support.

“If we can keep our children safe by stopping them from going on a sunbed if they’re not of an age where they can make the right choice, then let’s do it.”

Health Secretary Andy Burnham is also backing the bill. He says that he "fully supports" the bill in light of evidence that sunbeds increase the risk of skin cancer.

“I just want to say to you that the bill will have our full support. We’ll bend every muscle to get this onto the statute book. And as soon as it does come onto the statute book, if Parliament agrees, we will then bring forward regulations banning the unsupervised use of sunbeds.”

Our Head of Policy, Sarah Woolnough, was there at the second reading of the bill.

“The sunbeds bill had its second reading – that’s an opportunity for MPs from different political parties to debate the bill in detail, to talk about the evidence base behind the bill, and to ask any questions they might have about its potential impact.

We’re absolutely delighted because the bill passed its second reading – this is highly unusual for a private member’s bill, but it demonstrates the very high level of cross-party support. So the bill goes on to continue its passage to hopefully become law.”

4min38
Now, throughout February, you can see hard hitting TV adverts about how alcohol can damage your health. They’re part of a new campaign by the Department of Health, and we’re supporting it.

Paul Thorne finds out more.

I’m here with Ed Yong, Cancer Research UK’s Head of Health Information. Ed, can you just tell us about the new awareness campaign?

“The campaign aims to increase awareness of some of the health risks of drinking alcohol, including a higher risk of different types of cancer, of stroke, and of heart disease. We know that people link alcohol to things like liver disease and social problems like extreme drunkenness caused by binge-drinking and things like that.

But we know that people are very unaware of some of the other diseases linked to alcohol, including notably cancer. And this is why we’re very pleased to be supporting the Government’s new campaign. A survey accompanying the campaign showed that only about 25 per cent of people knew that alcohol increases the risk of mouth cancer, and even fewer – around 7 per cent – knew that it increases the risk of breast cancer.”

What will the campaign involve?

“There will be TV ads that will show regular people drinking in the pub or at home, and you’ll be able to see a see-through X-ray type scan of their bodies. You’ll see a tumour developing in the mouth, or a little flash in the head representing a stroke.

It shows that alcohol causes damage that you can’t necessarily see, and that things are going on in your body that you aren’t necessarily aware of. In addition to that there will be a few print posters that will show very much the same sort of thing.”

What cancers are related to alcohol consumption?

“We know that alcohol can cause at least 7 different types of cancer – really common types like breast or bowel cancer, but also cancers of the mouth, the upper throat, the food-pipe, the voice-box or larynx, and finally the liver. We estimate that alcohol causes around 15,000 cases of cancer every year in the UK, so it’s one of the most important preventable causes of cancer outside smoking.”

Why is alcohol related to an increased risk of cancer?

“There are many different explanations, but that’s because alcohol does a lot of things in your body. Probably the most important one is that when you drink alcohol your body converts it to a toxic chemical called acetaldehyde. That can damage DNA, and it can prevent cells from repairing that damage, which can ultimately lead to cancer.

Other things happen as well. Alcohol increases the level of oestrogen in your body, and we know that excessive levels of oestrogen have been linked to breast cancer. Alcohol also depresses levels of folate in the body – folate protects against bowel cancer, so the more alcohol, the higher your risk of bowel cancer.

And finally, alcohol also causes cirrhosis of the liver, which is a major risk factor for liver cancer. The vast majority of liver cancers involve cirrhosis of some sort.”

What would your advice be, or the take-home message from the charity for members of the public about alcohol.

“Well obviously we all enjoy a drink, and our goal is not to stop people having fun or tell people what to do with their own lives, but we want to make sure that people can make informed decisions about their own risk. So for example, in terms of cancer, the more you drink the higher your risk becomes, and the less you drink the lower your risk becomes.

Regardless of how much people drink at the moment, if they want to take a positive step to reduce their risk of cancer, then cutting down on how much they drink is a good way of going about it. But at the end of the day, it all boils down to individual choice.

But we know that people are very interested in what causes cancer, and we’ve known for decades that alcohol increases the risk of cancer. So we feel it’s our responsibility to talk to people about these links, which they’re not necessarily aware of, so they can make informed choices about their own risk.”

[Read more about the role of alcohol in cancer risk on our Science Update blog]

That was Paul Thorne talking to Ed Yong, head of Health Information at Cancer Research UK. We’ll be back next month with more news and analysis. Until then, you can keep up to date on our blog, scienceblog.cancerresearchuk.org.