LEADING THE WAY: PRIMARY PREVENTION RESEARCH

Researchers across the country are making important progress in understanding the factors that may lead to breast cancer and how the risk of developing breast cancer may be reduced. However, despite our increasing knowledge in this area, the precise causes of breast cancer remain unclear.

That’s why the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation has taken a leadership role in funding primary prevention research, an exciting and rapidly evolving area of research that aims to help us better understand both the causes of breast cancer (etiology) and how we can prevent breast cancer or reduce people’s risk of developing breast cancer (prevention).

Research in etiology includes examining lifestyle factors, environmental and occupational exposures, genetics, and interactions of genes with lifestyle factors in relation to the origin and causes of breast cancer. Research in prevention includes looking at strategies to reduce breast cancer risk, determinants of personal behaviours that affect breast cancer risk, and chemoprevention (the use of medication to reduce the risk of developing cancer.)

It is these areas of research - etiology and prevention - that make up the Foundation’s investigation into primary prevention research. In 2006 the Foundation invested more than $3 million in primary prevention research. This represents over 26% of the funding allocated to research that year.

Together, we are making important progress in this area. For example, we are:

Learning about the environmental causes of cancer
The quality of the air we breathe, the toxins we may be exposed to at work, and the chemicals in the products we use every day are just a few examples of how our living and working environments can affect our health. Jim Brophy, PhD and Margaret Keith, PhD, of the University of Windsor and the Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers, have each received funding for research that aims to understand how the substances women are exposed to in certain occupational settings, such as agriculture, health care, and auto manufacturing, may affect breast cancer risk.

Better understanding the steps women can take to reduce their risk of breast cancer
Much of the research we fund is generating important findings about the lifestyle changes we can make that may reduce the risk of breast cancer. For example, one study led by Michelle Cotterchio, PhD of Cancer Care Ontario found that eating foods containing phytoestrogens – plant compounds found in foods such as soy – during adolescence may be linked to a decreased risk of breast cancer in adulthood.

Identifying factors that increase breast cancer risk
In early 2007, Norman Boyd, MD of the Ontario Cancer Institute released findings from a landmark study on breast density funded in part by the Foundation. Boyd’s study establishes extensive breast density as a significant risk factor for breast cancer, and suggests dense breast tissue also makes cancers more difficult to see in a mammogram. These findings could lead to new screening standards for women with dense breasts.

Exploring the impact of Vitamin D on breast cancer risk
Findings from research by Julia Knight, PhD of the Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute, funded by the Foundation through contributions to the Canadian Breast Cancer Research Alliance, suggest that Vitamin D exposure earlier in life, particularly when breasts are developing, may help protect against breast cancer.

Researching breast cancer genetics
Research into the genetics of breast cancer is rapidly expanding, and the Foundation is proud to fund projects on the cutting edge of this field. For example, with Foundation funding, scientist Irene Andrulis is using a new technology called DNA Microarrays to identify gene mutations that may put people at a greater risk of cancer.

Ensuring an ongoing focus on prevention research
Because we know that further research is needed to contribute to our understanding of breast cancer prevention, the BC/Yukon Region of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation has allocated $750,000 to the Canadian Cancer Society Cancer Primary Prevention Research Chair at the University of British Columbia. The Region has committed $250,000 toward the establishment of the Chair and $500,000 to support future research projects related to the primary prevention of breast cancer.