State to get cancer study boost from $7m research grant

WORLD-leading Victorian cancer researchers have been given $7 million to further discoveries that could save lives and develop treatments for life-threatening cancers.

WORLD-leading Victorian cancer researchers have been given $7 million to further discoveries that could save lives.

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More than a dozen of the state’s elite cancer researchers will share the state government grants to help develop cures and preventive treatments for life-threatening cancers, including blood, breast, bowel, prostate and skin cancer.

Each year, about 10,000 Victorians die of cancer — with one in three men and one in four women diagnosed by the age of 75.

Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre researcher Dr Kara Britt will use the funding to investigate breast cancer therapies based on proteins found in healthy and parlous breasts.

Helen Tsipas is in remission but fears her breast cancer may return. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

Pregnancy is known to reduce a woman’s risk of breast cancer, but because many women are choosing to have fewer children, and at older ages, the incidence is increasing.

Dr Britt’s research has found mice that had given birth had a high level of an anti-inflammatory protein that is found in healthy breasts but not in cancerous breasts.

“We plan to look at that protein to predict which breast cancers will or won’t progress,” Dr Britt said.

“It will have two uses — for women who have early-stage cancer and those at high risk.”

Human trials will began in 5-10 years if laboratory tests are successful.

Helen Tsipas, 34, from Patterson Lakes, was diagnosed with stage-two breast cancer in 2009.

Though she is now in remission, she fears the cancer may one day return.

“I have check-ups every year because I carry the BRAC1 gene, which is a high-risk factor,” she said.

“If there was something to test to see whether it will come back, it would be great peace of mind.”

Health Minister Martin Foley. Picture: Jason Edwards

Acting Health Minister Martin Foley said the investment will transform groundbreaking research discoveries into potentially lifesaving treatments for cancer patients.

“We’re proud to be helping more Victorians touched by cancer to get the care and treatment they need, sooner,” he said.

“Investing in world-leading cancer research and clinical trials is the first step in the quest to one day find a cure — and we’re lucky to have so many dedicated and talented researchers working to save lives.”

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@AneekaSimonis