CANCER - Natural breast cancer remedies

Up to 75 per cent of cancer patients are turning 

to complementary therapies

 

For 75 per cent of breast cancer patients, their use of complementary treatments such as vitamin supplements, meditation and music therapy is a closely guarded secret. Not from family and friends, but from their doctors. They fear being dismissed or ridiculed because many cancer specialists are sceptical about the benefits of complementary medicine. But such treatments could be why cancer sufferers are tolerating toxic chemotherapy better than ever.

A sense of control

A recent survey of Australian women with breast cancer found 87 per cent had used complementary therapies, with many using four or more, according to the National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre. However, only one in four tell their doctor.

The centre says complementary medicine can "empower" women and give them a greater sense of control over their cancer, but it remains cautious. "Most alternate therapies have not been assessed for efficacy or safety. Some have been found to be harmful or ineffective," it says.

That's why the National Breast Cancer Foundation is funding two studies into the interaction between complementary medicine and conventional treatment. Professor Stephen Clarke, an oncologist from the Sydney Cancer Centre, is leading one of the studies, into the use of medical Qigong, an ancient Chinese practice of physical activity and meditation to harmonise mind, body and spirit. The study will examine fatigue, cognitive function, satisfaction with sexual life and inflammation. In a previous study, cancer patients doing Qigong had lower levels of an inflammatory biomarker in the blood.

"We thought that was quite encouraging, that we were having a biological effect on the patients," Professor Clarke says. Associate Professor Janette Vardy of Sydney University is leading the second study, into whether gingko biloba can improve side effects of treatment for breast cancer patients. She says oncologists would "definitely" be more open to complementary medicine if they had more data.

"Some complementary medicine may actually provide benefits but others may decrease the efficacy of the anti-cancer therapy or alternatively may increase the side effects," she explains. Professor Alan Bensoussan, director of the National Institute of Complementary Medicine, says Australians spend $3.5 billion each year on complementary medicine, but very little is spent on research. So, late last year the institute announced grants for six research projects, including the two involving breast cancer.

"Approximately 85 per cent of breast cancer patients use complementary medicine. Clearly patients want to look at what else is available and they're doing it in droves," Professor Bensoussan says. "If the evidence was clearer on what complementary medicine interventions could achieve, there is no doubt oncologists would be more responsive."

Help with side effects

Professor Kerryn Phelps, president of the Australasian Integrative Medicine Association, says complementary medicine works well with medical treatment. "Patients are not looking for an alternative to chemotherapy or radiotherapy, but are seeking exercise and nutrition programs and acupuncture to help manage the nausea, vomiting and pain," she says. Professor Phelps believes therapies such as meditation and exercise are key to helping create a sense of calmness and reduce stress. "An exercise program is probably the single most important thing you can do after you've had a breast cancer diagnosis," she says.

She adds that if doctors asked why their patients were tolerating conventional cancer treatment better than ever, they'd probably find the answer is complementary medicine. "You can't choose whether you get cancer but you can choose how to manage it to an extent," she explains. "I've seen breast cancer go from being a terminal illness to being a chronic disease that can be cured or managed long term."

Source: http://www.bodyandsoul.com.au/

CANCER - The breast cancers we don't talk about

More than 15,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year in 

Australia but there are many different types, and some receive less air-time 

than others. So what’s the reality of a less common type of breast cancer? 

Two brave women share their story with Dilvin Yasa

 

“I have inflammatory breast cancer” Stephanie Lumb, 47, training officer

“The first inkling I had that something was amiss was a sense that my body was failing. It’s hard to articulate because there were no aches or pains, but something didn’t feel right. Soon after, in May last year, I noticed my right breast was distinctly larger than the left. 

A couple of days later it started getting really itchy and swelled more, so I rushed to see my GP.

Initially, they thought it might be mastitis, which apparently can happen to all women, not just nursing mothers. 

But when antibiotics didn’t clear things up, I was sent for a mammogram.

They thought it was another type of breast cancer and I was told not to worry as the survival rate was high in Australia. It was only after I was referred to the breast cancer clinic that they discovered it was inflammatory breast cancer (IBC), a far more aggressive type. I was in shock; I asked if they’d caught it early. Unfortunately, unlike regular breast cancer with its lumps and bumps, by the time IBC symptoms such as swollen, itchy breasts show themselves, it’s usually already advanced. 

There were two days when I didn’t cope and I cried a lot, but then I decided to keep positive and fight. To that end, I told doctors I didn’t want to know what stage cancer it was. To this day, I still don’t know. 

Treatment is aggressive: five months of chemo followed by a mastectomy, radiotherapy and 10 years of hormone medication. This month, I’ll have a breast reconstruction. Since I can’t have implants [the skin doesn’t stretch after radiotherapy], they’re going to use abdominal fat instead, so it’s like I get a free tummy tuck.

Unfortunately I’ve developed lymphoedema [swelling of the arms] and just had to have 27 lymph nodes removed from my armpit and breast. The fight is ongoing, but I like to think cancer has helped me take stock of my life. I used to waste time fussing over silly things and now I can see what’s really important. It’s just a pity that it often takes something like cancer to see the light.” 

• What is Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC)?

This rare and aggressive form of invasive breast cancer makes up 1-2 per cent of all breast cancers. IBC causes a blockage of the lymphatic vessels in the skin, which are responsible for removing fluid and other waste products from the body’s tissues to prevent infections. Symptoms include a red, hot or swollen breast, or a rash or dimpled skin. Learn more at canceraustralia.gov.au 

Stephanie says her fight against IBC is ongoing

“I have secondary breast cancer” Gillian Tong, 54, part-time book-keeper

“I can still remember the look on my doctor’s face when he felt the lump in my left breast in 2009. 

He went from the standard, ‘Don’t worry, in 95 per cent of cases it’s a cyst’ to something far more serious. A mammogram and ultrasound revealed five lumps in my breast and two in my axilla [armpit]. It was only after I saw the breast surgeon that we discovered the cancer had spread to my liver.

Nothing can prepare you for that kind of news. I was told that as the cancer had metastasised [spread to other parts of the body], the chances of survival weren’t great. 

I was petrified but I went into ‘mum mode’, doing my best to protect my two kids [then 26 and 23] and two step-kids [8 and 6] from the news. It was futile. Along with my husband, family and friends, they gathered to give me support as I summoned the strength to fight. 

The type of breast cancer I had was HER2-Positive breast cancer, which grows rapidly, so treatment began immediately. I had chemo every three weeks for 18 weeks. My body responded so well that I didn’t need a mastectomy. 

Four weeks after chemo finished, I had an axillary clearance [removal of lymph nodes from the armpit]. Four weeks after that I had a section of my liver removed, then 30 doses of radiotherapy over six weeks.

To help my body grow stronger, I also changed my diet, began meditating and exercising, and adopted positive thinking. The combined treatment methods were a success; in 2010, scans revealed that my body was clear of cancer. I was thrilled.  

In 2011, a scan showed that the cancer had come back in my brain. We were devastated. Fortunately it was in an operable section and they were able to surgically remove it, but the fear remained. From then on, every appointment I went to, I wondered if this was it? Were they going to find something else? 

A couple of weeks before my daughter’s wedding this year, it came back in my neck. I started chemo and continued it until June. I’m now classified as “no evidence of disease”.

My experience has turned me into what I call an ‘optimistic realist’. I’m realistic because I know there’s every chance it’s going to come back again, but optimistic that it won’t be the end of me. I don’t think about the future anymore because it does my head in. Now all I can do is live in the moment. And being in the moment isn’t a bad place to be.”

• What is Secondary Breast Cancer (SBC)?

Also known as advanced or metastatic breast cancer, SBC develops in 20 per cent of breast cancer sufferers, but makes up a small percentage of first diagnoses. It occurs when cancer spreads from the original site in the breast to other parts of the body. SBC is incurable but can be controlled for many years. For more information, visit bcna.org.au

Gillian says having secondary breast cancer has made her an 'optimistic realist'

Source: http://www.bodyandsoul.com.au/

CANCER - 17 Everyday Chemicals Could Be Linked to Breast Cancer

• Barbara Tasch
 

May 12, 2014

Scientists who looked at data linking mammary tumors in animals to vehicle exhaust, paint removers, disinfectants and other common items, and compared it to more limited data for humans, say there's cause for concern

New research sheds light on possible nongenetic causes of breast cancer: everyday chemicals.

Scientists at the nonprofit Silent Spring Institute and the Harvard School of Public Health did a deep dive on epidemiological data, looking at chemicals linked to mammary tumors in animals and then comparing their findings against existing data for humans, which is far more limited. The study authors, who published their research in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Health Perspectives, identified 17 groups of chemicals they say are cause for concern.

These everyday chemicals include those found in vehicle exhaust, flame retardants (which are commonly used on furniture, rugs and mattresses), stain-resistant textiles (like the kind used to upholster furniture), paint removers and disinfection byproducts in drinking water. The study also identified chemicals formed by combustion (benzene and butadiene), which humans are exposed to from gasoline, lawn equipment, tobacco smoke, and charred or burned food.

More research is needed before a conclusive cause-and-effect link can be established between these chemicals and breast cancer, but the authors urge men and women to take care in the meantime. In addition to standard breast-cancer prevention — maintaining a healthy weight, moderating alcohol consumption and not smoking — the study authors offer seven tips women and men should follow to minimize the risk of exposure to those substances:

1)  Reduce your exposure to fumes from gasoline and to exhaust
      from diesel or other fuel combustion. That means: don’t idle
      your car, and if possible, use electric, not gas-powered,
      lawnmowers, leaf blowers and weed whackers.

2)  Use a fan when you cook, and avoid eating burned or charred
      food.

3)  Don’t buy furniture with polyurethane foam — or ask for
      foam not treated with flame retardants.

4)  Avoid stain-resistant rugs, furniture and fabrics.

5)  Find a dry cleaner who doesn’t use solvents; ask for “wet
      cleaning.”

6)  Purify your drinking water with a solid carbon-block filter.

7)  Keep your house clean to avoid bringing in outside chemicals.
      Remove your shoes at the door, vacuum with a HEPA filter,
      and clean with wet rags and mops.

Source: http://time.com/95915/breast-cancer-chemicals/

CANCER - Half-hour breast cancer treatment can replace weeks of radiotherapy: Thousands of women could benefit from treatment given during surgery

Half-hour breast cancer treatment can replace weeks of radiotherapy: Thousands of women could benefit from treatment given during surgery 

• Intrabeam radiotherapy will be given to breast cancer patients in surgery
• Treatment has been given provisional go-ahead for use on NHS by NICE
• Up to 36,000 women with early breast cancer could benefit from technique 
• 
  

By JENNY HOPE

PUBLISHED: 22:03 GMT, 24 July 2014 | UPDATED: 06:19 GMT, 25 July 2014

+1

The new treatment, which is called intrabeam radiotherapy, will be given to breast cancer patients under anaesthetic during surgery (file picture)

Tens of thousands of women with breast cancer could soon be offered a single 30-minute shot of radiotherapy, sparing them weeks of exhausting treatment.

The new treatment called intrabeam radiotherapy is delivered during surgery, while the patient is still under anaesthetic.

It has been given the provisional go-ahead for use on the NHS by the ‘rationing’ watchdog NICE because it is more convenient and improves quality of life.

NICE estimates up to 36,000 women with early breast cancer could benefit, with the technique being offered as early as next year.

International trial results show that it is at least as good as standard radiotherapy, and widespread use might save the NHS £15million a year.

Although the machines are around £435,000 each, running costs are lower than standard radiotherapy, freeing up staff and equipment in hard-pressed departments.

At present, conventional radiotherapy is offered to all women who have breast-conserving surgery, where only the lump is removed rather than the whole breast.

Conventional external beam radiotherapy, which irradiates the whole breast, involves many hospital visits for patients, often spread over several weeks to reduce side effects such as tissue shrinkage.

Professor Carole Longson, of NICE, said the new treatment has the potential to be much more efficient. ‘With the Intrabeam Radiotherapy System only one dose is required,’ she said.

‘This single dose is given at the same time as surgery, eliminating the need for numerous hospital visits.

‘Regular radiotherapy typically requires numerous doses over a three-week period – although some people may receive it for longer – and is performed weeks or months after surgery or chemotherapy.’

She said NICE’s appraisal committee concluded that ‘while current evidence was not extensive, this type of radiotherapy was more convenient for patients and can improve a person’s quality of life’.

Further consultation on draft guidance will culminate in a final decision in November and if approval is confirmed the NHS will be obliged to offer the service three months later.

NICE draft guidance suggests around 6,000 women a year might opt for treatment out of 36,000 eligible patients.

It has imposed conditions, saying the NHS must explain the pros and cons to women and men offered treatment, and include their details on a national register. Doctors must also commit to collecting data.

Professor Longson added: ‘So far, only six centres in the UK have used the Intrabeam Radiotherapy System to treat early breast cancer. Because it is still relatively new it is only right to recommend its use in a carefully controlled way.’ 

Professor Michael Baum, professor emeritus of surgery at University College London, is one of the trial leaders who carried out the first procedure using intraoperative radiotherapy in 1998.

INTRABEAM RADIOTHERAPY: 'IT WAS A GODSEND... I HAD NO SIDE EFFECTS'

Thankful: Marcelle Bernstein with her husband Eric

Marcelle Bernstein had intrabeam radiotherapy after screening picked up a rare type of invasive breast cancer in 2012 at a very early stage.

The writer and teacher, 71, who lives in London with husband Eric, 76, was treated at a private hospital that was pioneering the therapy.

She said: ‘It was a godsend. It meant I could avoid the trauma and exhaustion of travelling to hospital daily for weeks of radiotherapy.

'I suffered none of the side effects of standard radiotherapy, such as local tenderness, swelling, reduced range of movement or change in breast appearance. I spent one night in hospital and then I walked away, all treatment completed. I was back at work within weeks.’

She takes a drug to prevent recurrence and is thankful that ‘for me, I effectively felt I had breast cancer for only two months’.

He said: ‘It’s wonderful news for breast cancer patients but it’s been a long time coming. This innovation was pioneered in Britain but we’re lagging behind and almost the last to take it up. It’s already offered in 200 countries.’

Spokesmen for Breakthrough Breast Cancer and Breast Cancer Campaign welcomed the move but said women should be made fully aware of the pros and cons of the treatment. Jackie Harris, clinical nurse specialist at Breast Cancer Care, called it an exciting development but added: ‘There is not yet evidence of its long-term benefits.

‘It’s also worth remembering that single dose intrabeam radiotherapy will only be suitable for a small number of women having breast-conserving surgery.’

 

Breast cancer: How to spot it early by Cancer Research UK

Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk

CANCER - A combination of TWO drugs could keep women free from breast cancer for years

A combination of TWO drugs could keep women free from breast cancer for years 

• - Almost 99 per cent of women given the Herceptin-Taxol combination remained cancer-free
    for at least three years after treatment
• - Around 25 per cent of women have tumours characterised by the HER2 protein - and they
    could benefit from this treatment 
• 
  

By ANNA HODGEKISS

PUBLISHED: 17:35 GMT, 11 December 2013 | UPDATED: 17:36 GMT, 11 December 2013

A combination of two drugs is highly effective at keeping some women with breast cancer free of the disease, say researchers.

Almost 99 per cent of women given the Herceptin-Taxol combination remained cancer-free for at least three years after treatment, a study found.

The trial looked at the effect of the two drugs in patients with a specific type of breast cancer that responds to Herceptin. 

Almost 99 per cent of women given a combination of the drugs Herceptin and Taxol combination remained cancer-free for at least three years after treatment

All had lower-grade tumours that had not spread to the lymph nodes.

Around one in four women with breast cancer have tumours characterised by the HER2 protein. 

Here, there is too much of a protein called human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) on the surface of their cells.

The extra HER2 receptors stimulate the cancer cells to divide and grow.

Herceptin locks on to the HER2 protein. This blocks the receptor and stops the cells from dividing and growing.

However the drug is normally reserved for those at higher risk.

The new study showed that giving lower-risk women with HER2 breast cancer Herceptin plus the chemotherapy drug Taxol was highly effective with few adverse side effects.

The drug could help the one in four women with breast cancer tumours characterised by the HER2 protein

Of the 406 patients studied, fewer than 4 per cent experienced serious complications in the form of nerve damage and temporary heart failure.

'This is great news for patients and their physicians,' said professor Kathy Albain, from Loyola University Medical Centre in Maywood, Illinois, who presented the findings at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.

'This study identifies a new treatment option for this population of patients that is highly effective and has minimal side effects.'

CANCER - UK-made drug could be breast cancer lifeline

UK-made drug could be breast cancer lifeline: Treatment that blocks oestrogen production may help prolong lives of thousands of women

• - Drug irosusat is being trialled by patients in Liverpool and the Wirral
• - Treatment works to block production of oestrogen, which can fuel cancer
• - If trials show the new pill is working it could be available within three years
• 
  

By JENNY HOPE MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT

PUBLISHED: 00:03 GMT, 31 October 2013 | UPDATED: 00:03 GMT, 31 October 2013

Trials are beginning for a British drug that could prolong the lives of thousands of women with advanced breast cancer. 

The drug, called irosustat, is designed to work with existing therapies to block the production of oestrogen, which fuels the cancer in two-thirds of cases.

The pioneering study is being led by Professor Carlo Palmieri. He said if the trial shows the new pill is having an effect, it could be available within three years.

‘Most breast cancers need oestrogen to grow and there are two ways the body can make it,’ he said. 

‘Currently, we’re only able to use a hormone drug to block one of these places, but with the introduction of irosustat, we’re hoping to prove that we can also block the other one.’ 

Tests: Trials are beginning for a British drug, irosusat, which is designed to work with existing therapies to block the production of oestrogen (file picture)

Each year around 50,000 women in the UK are diagnosed with breast cancer, and 12,000 die from the disease.

Professor Palmieri, a medical oncologist at the Clatterbridge Cancer Centre in Bebington, the Wirral, is collaborating with a team from the Linda McCartney Centre at the Royal Liverpool Hospital and the University of Liverpool. 

After promising results in early tests, 27 women are being recruited for the trial. Professor Palmieri plans to run full-blown trials from 2015.

He said: ‘It could possibly be in clinical use in three years and the good news is that this is a home-grown drug, it was developed in a lab in the UK.’

Collaboration: Oncologist Carlo Palmieri from the Clatterbridge Cancer Centre in the Wirral is working with a team from the Linda McCartney Centre at the Royal Liverpool Hospital, pictured, and the University of Liverpool

The first patient was signed up to the trial in September and has been taking irosustat alongside her traditional hormone treatment, anastrozole, for the past four weeks. Marie Smith, 67, said: ‘I found out I had secondary breast cancer in January, nine years after I’d had a mastectomy and was given the all clear. 

‘It was a shock but I’ve always had the upmost trust in my doctors and knew they’d do what they could. 

‘Unfortunately, my cancer is only treatable, not curable, so the main aim is to try and make sure it doesn’t grow. 

‘A few weeks ago, I had a routine check-up and was informed that the cancer had become slightly more aggressive, so I was referred to Professor Palmieri, who told me about the trial.

‘I knew instantly that  I wanted to take part as I  have seven young grandchildren and will do anything to stay around for them for as long as possible.

Checks: If the trials show that the new pill is having an effect, it could be available within three years (file picture)

‘I’ve only been taking the additional hormone treatment for three weeks but I’m optimistic about the future and if I hear that my cancer has shrunk, even a tiny bit, as a result, I’ll be over the moon.’ 

Thousands of women are given aromatase inhibitors (AI) drugs, which include anastrozole, letrozole and exemestane, after chemotherapy.

The treatment aims to ensure that the cancer doesn’t come back, or to prevent the tumour from growing by shutting down the body’s supply of oestrogen.

These drugs only work after the menopause in women with oestrogen receptor positive (ER positive) breast cancer – around two thirds.

Irosustat is given alongside AI drugs to block a different pathway of oestrogen production, by stopping a reservoir of a precursor hormone from being converted into oestrogen.

BREAST CANCER - Walking an hour a day can cut risk of breast cancer

Walking an hour a day can cut risk of breast cancer: 

Brisk stroll can reduce chance in over-50s by 14%

• - Women who do more vigorous activities get almost double protection
• - Scientists claim this is the first study to examine walking benefits
• - It is thought to cut down the body fat that nurtures cancer hormones
• 
  

By JENNY HOPE

PUBLISHED: 03:17 GMT, 4 October 2013 | UPDATED: 03:18 GMT, 4 October 2013

Breakthrough? Just 60 minutes of gentle exercise a day dramatically our cuts risk, scientists claim

Women who walk for an hour a day can cut their risk of breast cancer in later life, say researchers.

Taking a brisk stroll can dramatically reduce the chances of developing the disease in women over 50, the period at which they are most at risk.

Just 60 minutes of so-called moderate activity a day led to a 14 per cent lower risk compared to women who were less active, a study revealed.

And women who did more vigorous activities got almost double the protection, cutting their risk of breast cancer by a quarter.

Previous studies have shown the benefits of exercise, but scientists claim the latest research is the first to examine walking.

It is thought to help cut down the body fat that can produce cancer-stimulating hormones such as oestrogen and insulin.

Scientists at the American Cancer Society studied 73,615 post-menopausal women, of whom 4,760 were diagnosed with breast cancer during a 17-year follow-up.

Among all women in the group, 47 per cent said walking was their only recreational activity.

Of that group, those who walked at least seven hours a week had a 14 per cent lower risk of getting breast cancer compared to those who walked three hours or fewer every week. 

The study also found that women who took part in more vigorous exercise for an hour each day had a 25 per cent lower risk of developing the disease than the least active.

The results were unaffected by factors such as a woman’s weight or the use of hormone replacement therapy. 

Dr Alpa Patel, senior epidemiologist at the Society, said: ‘Our results clearly support an association between physical activity and post-menopausal breast cancer, with more vigorous activity having a stronger effect.

‘Our findings are particularly relevant, as people struggle with conflicting information about how much activity they need to stay healthy.’

Good news: Dr Alpa Patel hailed the research's findings as helpful advice in the midst of many supposed 'solutions'

Dr Patel said promoting walking could be a good way of getting women to be more active. In the UK, around 50,000 women develop breast cancer each year – four out of five in the over-50s age group – and 400 men.

At the same time, three-quarters of Britons fail to do the recommended 150 minutes per week of moderate activity such as gardening, dancing or brisk walking, or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise including playing a sport, running or aerobics.

Dr Hannah Bridges, of Breakthrough Breast Cancer, said just 30 minutes’ moderate activity a day – or 3.5 hours a week – can reduce  the risk of breast cancer by at least 20 per cent.

‘Any activity that raises your pulse reduces your risk – so regular brisk walks are an easy and free way to get active,’ she added.

Baroness Delyth Morgan, chief executive of Breast Cancer Campaign, said: ‘This study adds further evidence that our lifestyle choices can play a part in influencing the risk of breast cancer and even small changes incorporated into our normal day-to-day activity can make a difference.’

The study was published online in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention.

BREAST CANCER - Could breast cancer soon be treated with a NIPPLE injection?

Could breast cancer soon be treated with a NIPPLE injection? Technique reduces side effects and is more effective

• - Injecting drugs through the nipple offers direct access to the tumour
• - It also stops toxic drugs being absorbed by other body tissue and stops the liver
    breaking down the drugs making them less effective
• 
  

By EMMA INNES

PUBLISHED: 17:02 GMT, 4 October 2013 | UPDATED: 17:02 GMT, 4 October 2013

Women suffering from breast cancer could be spared the worst side effects of their drugs with a new technique which involves having injections through the nipples.

Injecting drugs through the nipple offers direct access to the most common origin of breast cancer, the milk ducts.

But because it is focused on the area needing treatment, it is more effective, toxic drugs are not absorbed by other body tissues, and the liver does not break down the drugs.

Women suffering from breast cancer could be spared the worst side effects of their drugs with a new technique which involves having injections through the nipples

Researcher Dr Silva Krause said: ‘Local delivery of therapeutic agents into the breast, through intra-nipple injection, could diminish the side effects typically observed with systemic chemotherapy - where the toxic drugs pass through all of the tissues of the body.

‘It also prevents drug breakdown by the liver, for example, which can rapidly reduce effective drug levels.’

The researchers have carried out tests on mice and have now begun experimentation in applying the method.

Dr Krause said: ‘The authors have utilised this technique to inject a new nanoparticle-based therapeutic that inhibits a specific gene that drives breast cancer formation.

‘This targeted treatment was shown to prevent cancer progression in mice that spontaneously develop mammary tumours, and is currently in review in Science Translational Medicine.’

The study is published in the Journal of Visualised Experiments.

Injecting drugs through the nipple offers direct access to the most common origin of breast cancer (pictured), the milk ducts

The news comes just days after researchers claimed that by 2050 nearly all women will survive breast cancer.

The researchers believe that within the next 40 years treatment will become so effective that more than 95 per cent of patients will be cured.

Scientists also predict tens of thousands of cases will be prevented in the first place through improved diet, exercise and cutting back on drinking and smoking.

Baroness Delyth Morgan, chief executive of Breast Cancer Campaign, which funded the research said: ‘My hope is that we will see a future – by 2050 – where breast cancer can be overcome, it can be prevented, it can be cured and so it can be outlived.’ 

She added: ‘Time is pressing. If we look at the impact of doing nothing, of not moving forward, then by 2030 we’ll have more than 1.2million women living with breast cancer.’