Sheffield Cancer Research Centre Newsletter
Issue 9 – March 2014
Sheffield Breast Cancer Patients Trial New Drug.
A new breast cancer drug will be available to patients from today following successful trials in
Sheffield. The drug for patients with an advanced and aggressive type of breast cancer - advanced
HER2-positive - was trialled at a number of centres, including the Sheffield Cancer Research
Centre. Known as Kadcyla, the drug allows chemotherapy to be delivered directly to cancer cells,
destroying only the cancerous cells from within.
In trials, the drug was shown to extend the lives of patients by up to six months longer than the
currently licensed treatment, while at the same time reducing many of the side effects associated
with standard chemotherapy, including hair loss and severe fatigue.
Professor Robert Coleman, who ran the trials in Sheffield, said: “Kadcyla tackles advanced HER2positive breast cancer in a different way to other breast cancer treatments. “This means we now
have a medicine that could extend women’s lives for longer than existing treatment, while
minimising many of the side effects associated with standard chemotherapy.”
Kadcyla blocks the growth signals that lead to cancer cell survival, and engages the immune
system, before releasing the chemotherapy directly into the cancer cell to destroy it from within.
The drug is administered intravenously once every three weeks.
A spokesman for manufacturer Roche said the firm ‘looks forward to working with the National
Institute of Health and Care Excellence and the Scottish Medicines Consortium to ensure patients
and clinicians can access Kadcyla as soon as possible’.
The Sheffield Cancer Research Centre, based at The University of Sheffield, is internationally
renowned for its research. It claims around 2,800 people are diagnosed with cancer in each year,
and around 1,400 die. Researchers specialise in bone oncology, tumour microenviroment and
cancer genetics.
Professor Rob Coleman
Yorkshire Cancer Research Tea Party
Charity definitely begins at home and as Yorkshire Cancer Research is proud to be Yorkshire born and
bred, they wanted to celebrate one of the great Yorkshire traditions – a cup of tea, some delicious
baking and a good sociable get together.
On Thursday 13th February, a group of MSc Translational Oncology students led by Danielle Meehan,
Emily Collinson and held a Yorkshire Tea Party and sold raffle tickets for Yorkshire Cancer Research
and raised a total of £553.25. Members of University staff and students supported the event by
bringing cakes and buns to sell.
Anyone who wants to hold their own tea party and donate they proceedings to Yorkshire Cancer
Research should click on http://yorkshirecancerresearch.org.uk/events/the-yorkshireteaparty/#.UwYkOWJ_vtE
* The MSc(Res) in Translational Oncology course provides an innovative and progressive programme
with teaching delivered by leading research scientists and clinicians.
Diary Dates
Seminar Series – for information, please see: http://www.shef.ac.uk/sheffield-cancer-researchcentre/news-and-events/seminar-series
24th – 26th March 2014 - Genes & Cancer 30th Anniversary Meeting
Genes & Cancer 30th Anniversary Meeting
Robinson College, Cambridge, UK
www.genesandcancer.org.uk
30th March – 1st April 2014 – British Association for Cancer Research
The Third Special Conference on ‘Advances in Cancer Drug Discovery’ will take place at Homerton
College. The deadline for abstracts is 24th January 2014 and the early bird registration fee ends on the
31st January 2014. More information can be found on the website:
http://www.bacr.org.uk/bacr-events/event-details/advances-in-cancer-drug-discovery
26th April 2014 – 14th Fund-raising Fancy Dress Ball
Organised by Mrs Michele France BEM
Venue – The Hubs, Sheffield City Centre, Paternoster Row
Fun begins at 8pm till 2am
Tickets £5 and can be purchased from Mrs Sarah Jackson, FU20, F floor, Medical School.
All proceeds to Department of Oncology’ Breast Cancer Research
25th June 2014 - YCR Annual Scientific Meeting 2014
The Annual YCR Scientific meeting will be held at the Pavilions of Harrogate on Wednesday 25 th June
2014. Registration will open in February 2014. For further details – www.ycr.org.uk
Call for Centre News Stories
What exciting developments are taking place in your research and training?
We need to show what great work is going on in Sheffield, not least so that we demonstrate our
strengths to potential funders.
We need to shout about:
* New research findings, particularly published papers
* Recently funded studies at start up
* Prizes or awards received
* Innovations in equipment/treatment
* Your involvement in public events
* Anything else you feel you would like to publicise
If you are working with the press offices at CRUK, YCR, the University or the Trust to publicise anything
please also keep me in the loop.
Please see the website for examples
http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/sheffield-cancer-research-centre/news-and-events/news/1.198922
Please send anything of interest to Lance Burn (l.burn@sheffield.ac.uk) - it doesn't have to be in a
publishable format as I can help with putting it together, writing text, obtaining pictures etc.