March 2007 transcript

The March podcast has a royal flavour as the Queen opens a new cancer research institute in Cambridge. We also investigate complementary therapies for people with cancer, and discover TV presenter Kirstie Allsopp’s top tips for a healthy breakfast.

Kat: Coming up later, TV star and supporter of Britain's Biggest Breakfast, Kirstie Allsopp reveals her secrets for a healthy breakfast. Coming up later, TV star and supporter of Britain's Biggest Breakfast, Kirstie Allsopp reveals her secrets for a healthy breakfast. But first, here's Henry Scowcroft with the latest news.

Henry: Smokers say  bigger, clearer health warnings on cigarette packets are more likely to encourage them to quit. So says a study, partly funded by Cancer Research UK, into whether large, prominent, written messages are more likely to be read and encourage a change in behaviour. The study also found that graphic images are even more effective.

The news comes as  France joined the growing list of smokefree countries in Europe, including Scotland, the Republic of Ireland, Norway and Sweden. And it appears to be working - research by the University of Aberdeen published this month found that  Scottish bar staff are exposed to 86 per cent less smoke since going smokefree.

And the legislation looks like it will make a significant impact on health ñ as confirmed by researchers in the US this month, who found that high levels of exposure to secondhand smoke in the workplace  doubled the risk of lung cancer. Wales and Northern Ireland will go smokefree this year on April 2nd and 30th respectively. England will follow on July 1st.

And finally, some overseas news. US researchers looking to Mother Nature for the next cancer drug have found a candidate in the most surprising place. Diazona angulata is a  doughnut-shaped 'sea-squirt', measuring just inches in diameter. In the early 90s, scientists found that a chemical produced by this tiny creature blocked cancer cell growth in the lab, but it's taken nearly fifteen years to work out how to make it from scratch. Now though, they've cracked this problem and have just published the results of the first round of tests.

Excitingly, the chemical - works in a way unlike any other cancer drug, and the team are hopeful that this could be exploited to generate a whole new range of chemotherapies.

Kat: Thanks Henry. WAnd if you want find out more about these stories, or get the latest from the charity's scientists, and researchers around the world, then have a look at our News & Resources website.

Kat: Last month Her Majesty the Queen opened the brand new Cambridge Research Institute. Funded partly by Cancer Research UK and built within the grounds of Addenbrooke's Hospital, the £50 million building is destined to become a major centre for cancer research both in the UK and the world. I went along to the royal opening, to find out more about the centre, and the researchers within it.

Cambridge package

Kat visits the Cambridge Research Institute and speaks to Cancer Research UK's new Chief Executive Harpal Kumar, CRI Deputy Director Fiona Watt and the charity's chairoman David Newbigging. She meets scientists David Neal, David Tuveson, Simon Tavare and Adele Murrell and hears from the institute's principal benefactor, Sir Ka-Shing Li.

Kat: You can find out more about the Cambridge Research Institute, including the beautiful Science Image of the Month competition, from the Institute's website.

Kat: How did you start your day this morning? Did you have a fry-up or fruit? Porridge or cereal? Toast or nothing? Eating a healthy diet can help to reduce your risk of cancer, and a nutritious breakfast is a great way to start the day with good intentions.

All through March, Cancer Research UK is encouraging people everywhere to take part in Britain's Biggest Breakfast ñ to share good food and fun, and raise money for our vital research. TV presenter and property expert Kirstie Allsopp explains more about the campaign, and why a healthy breakfast is so important.

Interview: Kirstie Allsopp

If you start your day right you're less likely to eat unhealthy snacks. Start with fruit, porridge, wholegrains to keep yourself full. Eating a healthy diet can also help to reduce your risk of cancer. Bananas are brilliant - you can just bung one in your handbag.

For my baby, if I'm desperate I give him avocado - it's the best on-the-go baby food. For older kids, I promote porridge. We have a rule in our house - "fruit first". No-one is allowed anything else for breakfast until they're had some fruit.

Britain's Biggest Breakfast is a great idea to gather people together, as being a new mum can be quite isolating. The best thing is to get people together for brunch, and ask everyone to bring along something they've made or bought.

Kat:If you'd like to take part in Britain's Biggest Breakfast and host your own event, then all the information you need is on our website. And if that's not for you, then there areplenty of other ways you can help support our research.

Kat:Complementary therapies are gaining in popularity for a wide range of illnesses, and in the UK as many as one third of people with cancer use some sort of complementary therapy at some time during their illness.

There's no scientific evidence to suggest that such treatments can cure cancer, but many people find that complementary approaches can help to improve their quality of life, when used alongside conventional therapies. But is there any research to support the use of complementary treatments in this way? And what is Cancer Research UK doing in this area? Our roving reporter Taslima Khan investigates.

Complementary therapy package

Over the years, Cancer Research UK has funded a number of studies into complementary therapies for people with cancer. Taslima interviews  Professor Amanda Ramirez, who has been carrying out a trial of aromatherapy massage to relieve depression and anxiety in cancer patients. This seems to have beneficial effects in the short term, but not in the long term.  Professor Lesley Fallowfield is starting a pilot project to test the benefits for people who have a chronic dry mouth after radiotherapy for head and neck cancer.

Martin Ledwick, from the Cancer Research UK information nurse team discusses the things to think about when considering complementary therapy for people with cancer.

Kat: It's important to draw a distinction between complementary therapies and alternative therapies. Complementary treatments, such as those we've investigated, are designed to be used alongside conventional cancer treatments, whereas alternative therapies are often proposed as an alternative to conventional medicine. There's more information about complementary and alternative therapies, the difference between the two, and advice for people with cancer on the charity's patient information website, CancerHelp UK.

Kat:And finally, calling all junior newshounds - this could be your big chance to read the news on the Cancer Research UK podcast. As part of National Science Week, the charity is running a science writing competition for young people aged 14 to 16. The competition opens on March 9th, and here's Julie Sharp to explain more.

Interview: Julie Sharp

We're running a science news writing competition for all 14-16 year olds. It's called SciNews, and we want budding science reporters to write a 300-word news article about a science story that interests them. You've got to think about your audience - why is this story news? Tell them something they didn't know before. The story doesn't have to be about cancer, but we would like it to be about health or medical research.

The competition website is www.scinews.org.uk, with handy tips and information about the prizes and judges. The first prize is the chance to spend a day with one of our press officers, to read your story on the Cancer Research UK podcast and see it published on the web. And the first, second and third prize winners will get a goody bag.

Kat:So if you're aged 14 to 16, then get writing because the competition closes on April 30th. Even if you don't want to enter, then there's lots more activities for young people on our Youth & Schools website, including a quiz about this month's podcast in the  Games and Puzzles section.

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Kat: We've reached the end of the show so we hope you've 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 don't 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 you'd like to get involved in our podcast, or simply let us know what you think, then email us at podcast@cancer.org.uk

We'll be back next month with all the latest from Cancer Research UK. Until then, goodbye!

Music courtesy of the Shardlow Quartet