Your support is key to groundbreaking achievements.
Febuary 2025
YOUR SUPPORT IN ACTION
Thank you for supporting cancer research. Every euro you donate, every event you attend, and every message you share moves us closer to new, better, kinder, smarter treatments and diagnostics for people with cancer.
Your support truly makes all the difference. With your generosity, we are proud to share these three innovative research projects funded through the HRCI-HRB Joint Funding Scheme in partnership with Breakthrough Cancer Research.
Congratulations to: 🔎Prof. Jacintha O'Sullivan- investigating personalised medicine for stomach cancer. Stomach cancer is a very difficult disease to treat, with only 3 in 10 people surviving five years beyond diagnosis. Current treatments often work for only a fraction of people.
This study aims to: - Use ‘machine learning’ to quickly identify if a patient’s treatment may not work - before starting treatment. - Investigate the regions in tumour DNA that have changed, to understand why some tumours resist current treatments. - Develop new human tissue models to test different drug combinations for more personalised treatment approaches.
This is an international collaboration between Trinity St. James’s Cancer Institute, Dresden University (Germany), and Vivan Therapeutics (UK).
🔎Dr. David Hughes- Liver and biliary tract cancers (hepatobiliary cancers) are on the rise worldwide. Often diagnosed too late, they have poor outcomes and limited treatment options. Obesity and unhealthy diets can lead to metabolic and liver dysfunction, which may fuel these cancers.
This project will examine how these factors interact by analysing existing data from Irish, French, and European studies of fatty liver disease, inflammation, and related cancers.
Proteins found on ‘good cholesterol’ (HDL), which may reflect early changes tied to liver disease or cancer will also be examined.
Ultimately the goal is to find new biomarkers that identify the people most at risk and improve both prevention and diagnosis strategies.
🔎Dr. Sharon O'Toole- researching a type of ovarian cancer called high-grade serous ovarian cancer which causes more deaths than other gynaecological cancers, and late diagnoses can mean a higher chance of recurrence.
Our immune system is designed to eliminate unhealthy cells, but in people with cancer, it can grow weaker. This new study will investigate how immune cells called Natural Killer cells function in patients who don’t respond to standard treatments.
By examining how these natural killer cells weaken, Dr. O’Toole’s team hope to determine if immunotherapies can support and restore the immune system’s ability to target cancer cells.
FEBRUARY IS OESOPHAGEAL CANCER AWARENESS MONTH
Oesophageal cancer begins in the oesophagus (also known as the food pipe or gullet) - a 25cm long, hollow tube that runs from your throat to your stomach.
Like other cancers, oesophageal cancer occurs when some of the body’s healthy cells change, grow uncontrollably, and form a mass or tumour that can spread to other parts of the body.
Over 500 people are diagnosed with oesophageal cancer each year in Ireland, and it’s often detected at later stages. Early diagnosis can lead to better outcomes, which is why knowing the signs and symptoms is so important:
👉 Difficulty swallowing 👉 Indigestion or heartburn 👉 Unexplained weight loss 👉 Regurgitation 👉 Pain in chest or throat 👉 Hoarse voice 👉 Persistent cough
These symptoms can be caused by other conditions but it is important to get checked by your G.P. if you are experiencing them for 3 weeks or more.
🚴🏻♀️ GEAR UP FOR THE RING OF KERRY CHARITY CYCLE 🚴🏻♂️
We are delighted to announce that we are a main beneficiary of the Ring of Kerry Charity Cycle 2025, which takes place this year on Saturday, July 5th.
This iconic cycling event, renowned for its breathtaking 170km route around the picturesque Ring of Kerry, will help fund our vital work – Making More Survivors of cancer through research.
Claire Reynolds who took part in the 2024 event, commented ‘I came over the finish line on the day, so emotional and crying my eyes out, not because I completed the cycle, but because I could come across the finish line and FaceTime my Mum, because she was still here with me to celebrate! The whole reason I chose Breakthrough Cancer Research was because of my incredible Mum, who had endometrial cancer - without the incredible researchers, I wouldn’t have my Mum today.’
Cyclists of all abilities - from seasoned enthusiasts to first-time timers - are welcome to register for this fun and truly memorable event.
You are receiving this email because you are a Breakthrough Cancer Research supporter or subscriber. We wish to keep you updated on the amazing research that your generous donations are funding. Please note that you can unsubscribe at any time. Thank you as always for your support.
