27 September 2005

Dundee scientist's research success leads to further backing from Breast Cancer Campaign

For immediate release: Tuesday, 27 September 2005
Media contact: Ondine Hassen, Science Media Officer, 020 7749 3705, ohassen@bcc-uk.org

Breast Cancer Campaign (BCC), has awarded another grant of £153,601 to Dr Ana Schor and Professor Seth Schor at the University of Dundee. This research could lead to a new way of predicting how a patient's breast cancer will develop and allow clinicians to tailor treatments to them.

MSF is a protein which is produced in high quantities by breast tumours. It helps the tumour to develop its own blood supply so it can grow and spread around the body. With the help of previous BCC funding Dr Schor and colleagues found that a patient's prognosis could be predicted by the amount of MSF that their tumour produced; the higher the amount of MSF the worse the prognosis.

The Schor team has since discovered that there are two different types of MSF. One form is "active" and is found in 90 percent of breast cancer patients, while the other form is "inactive" and found in the majority of people who do not have cancer. Dr Schor will look at both forms of MSF to see what makes them different.

Dr Ana Schor says, "We hope to develop tests which will allow us to quickly assess how much and which type of MSF a breast cancer patient has. This information may allow clinicians to predict the course of the disease and therefore which treatment would be the most effective for the patient."

Pamela Goldberg, Chief Executive, Breast Cancer Campaign, says, "This pioneering research will play a major part in the future treatment of breast cancer which will be in drug regimes tailored to the individual patient."

Notes to editors

The Charity aims to find a cure for breast cancer by funding research which looks at improving diagnosis of breast cancer, better understanding how it develops and ultimately either curing the disease or preventing it. www.breastcancercampaign.org

BCC's Scientific Advisory Board of prominent experts ensures that the Charity funds only top quality original research.

2005 is a special year for BCC as it marks 10 years of funding research into breast cancer. Over this time BCC has spent over £10.4 million on research and is currently funding 62 projects at universities, teaching hospitals and research institutes throughout the UK.

By Roddy Isles, Head of Press 01382 344910, out of hours: 07968298585, r.isles@dundee.ac.uk