It is estimated that more than one in three people will develop some form of cancer during their lifetime.

Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in the UK. About 1 in 8 women are diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime and, in rare cases, men can also be diagnosed with breast cancer.

Thanks to research, there's a good chance of recovery if it's detected in its early stages. Sadly, people diagnosed with secondary breast cancer cant expect the same positive outcome. Approximately 30% of patients who have (or have had) primary breast cancer will go on to be diagnosed with secondary breast cancer within the first 10 years of their initial diagnosis.

Secondary cancer, also known as stage 4, advanced or metastatic cancer, is when breast cancer cells spread to other parts of the body. Secondary breast cancer is currently incurable and approximately 1,000 people die from secondary breast cancer in the UK every single month.

Your donation will support translational research into secondary breast cancer at the University of Edinburgh, under the leadership of Dr Olga Oikonomidou.

The Breast Cancer Translational Research Group, led by Dr Oikonomidou hope to shed light on secondary breast cancer by focusing on identifying the specific gene changes, or mutations, that drive cancer cell growth.

- The team sequence DNA from tumours in order to create a genetic map to help spot the mutations involved in this form of cancer.

- Their aim is to identify changes in a simple blood sample that could help predict response to treatment.

- They also hope to identify mutations that will allow doctors to offer patients new targeted therapies.

Please donate to this vital research today.

Thank you.

Institute of Genetics and Cancer