Breast Cancer Anxiety Highest In Britain

One in three British women would be willing to have both breasts removed if they thought they were at high risk of breast cancer, a survey has found.
Women in Britain are more worried about breast cancer than in many other countries, according a six-country survey carried out ahead of trials of a daily pill to be taken by healthy women in the hope of preventing breast cancer.

Among the 1,565 questioned in Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Germany, Italy and the UK, one in five women said they would consider having a double mastectomy (breast removal) to prevent breast cancer if they were at high risk.
Cancer Research UK, which commissioned the research, said yesterday that nearly half of all the women said they were worried about breast cancer. In the UK, however, that figure rose to 60%.

The charity said its research highlighted the need for preventive measures that women can take to reduce their risk and reassure themselves.

It is funding a large trial of a drug called anastrozole, which is already being used to treat women with breast cancer, but which scientists think could also prevent it.

Jack Cuzick, lead scientist for Cancer Research in what is being called the Ibis-II trial (International Breast Cancer Intervention Study), said it was important for those who are known to be at higher risk because of a family history of the disease.

"It is vitally important that women come forward to participate in the trial," he said.

"It could provide them with a valuable option in helping to control breast cancer.

"Many of us already take medications to prevent heart disease so just imagine the possibilities if, in the future, we could use a simple, once-a-day medication, to reduce the occurrence of breast cancer. For those women faced with the reality of being at high risk of developing breast cancer, this trial has the potential to change their lives."

More than 30,000 women past the menopause develop breast cancer in the UK every year.

Some of those will have known or suspected for a long time that they run a higher than normal risk of developing it.

But for those with a strong family history of the disease, who sometimes have their susceptibility confirmed by genetic tests, there is little they can do beyond undergoing regular screening - or having their breasts removed.

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