Three sisters from Lancashire are urging women to get tested for a gene linked to breast cancer, after it killed two of their relatives.
Eileen Eve, Maxine Betts and Maureen Dixon have a faulty gene in their family
One has already had her breasts removed to cut her risk. An operation the Hollywood star Angelina Jolie revealed today that she has undergone because of her genetics.
Now, the sisters from Barrowford want other women to make an informed choice.
Three sisters from Lancashire are urging women to get tested for a gene linked to breast cancer, after it killed two of their relatives.
Eileen Eve, Maxine Betts and Maureen Dixon have a faulty gene in their family. One has already had her breasts removed to cut her risk.
The actress Angelina Jolie has revealed today she too has had a double mastectomy because of gene risk. Now, the sisters want other women to make an informed choice.
Gary Barlow heads off on a charity drive from Land's End to John O'Groats today accompanied by Professor Brian Cox, Radio 2 DJ Chris Evans and Top Gear's James May.
The celebrities will travel in the same car - a pink Rolls Royce with an "FAB1" numberplate - and are expected to arrive in John O'Groats at around 4am on Friday morning.
Barlow and May spoke to Daybreak about their journey - with a little help from Cox:
Breast cancer patient's symptoms reduced by new drug
Nikki Ridehalgh, who has an agressive form of breast cancer that doctors believe is incurable, says since taking Perjeta her cancer has reduced by around 45%.
A new drug to treat an aggressive form of breast cancer which was trialled at the Christie in Manchester has been given approval.
The results of the trials show Perjeta can extend the lives of patients by 6 months and can stop the disease getting worse.
The Christie
Consultant at The Christie, Dr Andrew Wardley said "Today's approval of Perjeta marks a major advance in the fight against HER2-positive breast cancer.
To find a treatment that not only controls cancer for longer than the current gold standard but also extends the lives of patients is a rare achievement and something that we haven't seen since the launch of Herceptin more than ten years ago.
"If Perjeta is funded, this will be welcome news for patients living with this aggressive disease throughout the North West."
It's hoped the drug will be made available on the NHS but in the meantime the pharmaceutical company Roche says patients should be able to access Perjeta via the Cancer Drugs Fund.
Patients being treated for breast cancer at an Isle of Man hospital are having their treatment reviewed.
Doctors say there is nothing wrong with their diagnosis but they need to attend a clinic after an issue arose with tissue tests that were used to decided "appropriate additional treatment".
The Noble Hospital has identified 22 patients who are affected. They are being contacted directly and being asked to attend a clinic appointment to discuss their treatment. More patients could be contacted as the review continues.
"Caring for patients is our priority and we appreciate that some patients and their families will be concerned by the fact that their current treatment may need to be reviewed.
"Noble’s Hospital is acting on the basis of information as it becomes available and all affected patients will be seen as quickly as possible."
– Stephen Upsdell, Noble Hospital medical director
Patients who are concerned 651300 between 9am and 6pm and speak to the Breast Care team.
Women who've been treated for Hodgkins Lymphoma are five times more likely to go on to develop breast cancer. The findings were made after a landmark study carried out by the Institute of Cancer Research, over the last 50 years.
Doctors at the Christie in Manchester hope the results can now be used to help protect those women who are most vulnerable. Our correspondent Rachel Townsend reports
