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Breast cancer has received much news coverage in the last 48 hours with headlines claiming there is a ‘Drug that prevents breast cancer for 20 years’ (Daily Mail) and ‘500000 women to be offered breast cancer drugs’ (Guardian).
The news stories are based on draft guidance on familial breast cancer published by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE).
As the NICE document is a draft it is open to consultation. This means it could change and its recommendations are not set in stone.
The guidance contains new recommendations on the testing prevention and monitoring of familial breast cancer.
Most of the news stories focused on the recommendation that women at high risk of breast cancer should be offered the drugs tamoxifen or raloxifene as a preventive treatment. Neither drug is currently licensed for this in the UK although they are in some other countries.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the UK. So even if you have a relative with breast cancer it doesn't necessarily mean you’re more likely to get it yourself.
Most breast cancers are not due to inherited (genetic) factors and do not affect the lifetime risk for other relatives.
A small number of women have an increased risk of developing breast cancer because they have a significant family history. This may be due to an altered breast cancer gene. The two genes that are most often found in hereditary breast cancer are called BRCA1 and BRCA2.
One new recommendation is the use of drugs to help prevent breast cancer in women at high risk. The guidelines recommend:
Do these drugs have any side effects?
Common side effects of tamoxifen include:
Common side effects of raloxifene include:
NICE recommends increased screening with mammography for longer both for women at increased risk and for those who have had a breast cancer diagnosis and who are at high risk or confirmed BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene carriers.
For the first time women under 40 who’ve been newly diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer could be referred to a genetic team for further assessment.
In addition risk-reducing bilateral mastectomy should be raised as an option for all women at high risk of breast cancer.
Also for the first time the guidance outlines risk-reducing surgery to breast and ovaries after breast cancer for women with a known or suspected BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene
The guidelines could also mean more people may be able to consider genetic testing.
You can find out more about breast cancer in families and risk of breast cancer on our website.
If you’re concerned about any aspect of breast cancer then you can call our free Helpline on 0808 800 6000.
You can also read the draft guidance in full on the NICE website.
Researchers based at the Institute of Cancer Research have discovered a link between infertility and breast cancer in men. This could help us better understand the disease and lead to better ways to treat or prevent it.
Proposed changes to cancer waiting times in England and what this could mean for people who are referred to a breast clinic with possible signs of cancer.
Last week, Breast Cancer Now was invited to give evidence to the Health and Social Care Select Committee’s inquiry on cancer services.