Chinese help is boost for cancer trials

Published on Thursday 30 July 2009 09:57

A BREAST cancer trial by Edinburgh University will benefit from the help of Chinese women for the first time, signalling a significant breakthrough in attracting new volunteers.

Researchers will evaluate how affective radiotherapy is on females who have had a mastectomy. The overall goal is to see if the treatment reduces the chances of cancer returning after initial surgery to remove it.

Breast cancer is an increasingly recognised problem in China, particularly in urban areas, and the university is attempting to tap into potentially tens of thousands of willing participants.

It also opens doors for future collaboration between the university and the country.

Prof Ian Kunkler, from the Edinburgh Cancer Research Centre at the university, said: "China is experiencing a rapidly rising incidence of breast cancer, particularly in its urban populations. The results of this trial could demonstrate differences in breast cancer that aren't found elsewhere. We also hope that this is just the first in many research collaborations with Chinese cancer centres."