UCL Institute for Women's Health (IfWH)

Breast Cancer Research Group

The Breast Cancer Research Group was first established at the Middlesex Hospital in London by Dr Anthony Leathem in the 1990s, later transferred to the Division of Surgical and Interventional Science at University College London and since 2010 has been part of Gynaecological Cancer at the Institute for Women’s Health.

The main interests of the group are to evaluate environmental influences on breast cancer progression and to study cancer-specific glycan molecules (carbohydrates) attached to proteins which modify how these proteins act, a brach of biochemistry known as Glycobiology.

Breast Cancer Survival

To evaluate environmental influences, a prospective multicentre observational study, called DietCompLyf, has been set-up and is co-ordinated by the group.The study is one of the largest breast cancer survivorship studies in the world, collecting annual questionnaires and biological samples from 3,000 breast cancer survivors from over 50 NHS hospitals from around the UK. Data obtained from DietCompLyf will be used to:

• Study the hormonal influences of oestrogen-mimics (phytoestrogens) in diet and supplements and their effects on breast cancer progression
• Identify dietary factors and lifestyle habits associated with breast cancer progression
• Investigate dietary influences on gene expression related to cancer survival

The study is expected to lead to interventional trials to extend the survival of breast cancer patients. For more details go to www.ucl.ac.uk/abc-research-group.

Biomarker Discovery and Immunity

Glycans surround the surface of cells and are attached to the majority of serum proteins. These glycans change with disease and some appear to be cancer-specific. We are investigating circulating cancer-specific glycans on proteins as potential biomarkers of breast cancer recurrence as an alternative or complementary approach to protein and DNA makers.

The glycan coat of cancer cells could also be a potential target for antibody based immunotherapy. The group has many years experience in developing techniques for analysis of glycans, following our earlier discovery of glycans associated with breast cancer metastasis, which appears common to a wide range of epithelial cancers.

In collaboration with groups in the US, natural antibody immune responses to glycans of aggressive breast cancers is being investigated, with a view to stimulate this immunity to prevent breast cancer development or slow the progression of the disease in survivors.