Silent vigil for breast cancer research

A woman who took part in a silent vigil outside Downing Street to raise awareness of a form of breast cancer says the amount of research into treatments for the disease is "very upsetting".

Dr Susan Michaelis, who was diagnosed with lobular breast cancer in 2013, said research into the form of the disease is "just not being done" as she called for more work to study it.

Dr Michaelis, from Horsham in West Sussex, was one of 22 women to take part in the vigil in London on Tuesday, representing the 22 women who are diagnosed with the disease every day.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting has agreed to meet Dr Michaelis, a Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said.

Lobular breast cancer makes up 15% of all breast cancer cases, but campaigners say it is under-studied and rarely recognised due to rarely forming a lump in the same way as other breast cancers.

It differs from more common forms of breast cancer in that it begins in the milk-producing lobule glands, as opposed to 70-80% of breast cancers.

Dr Michaelis says the form of the disease has no specific treatment and is instead treated like other types of breast cancer, leading to poorer outcomes.

She said: "We have worked so hard to get the government to hear our message."

Dr Michaelis said her cancer was now incurable having being found in her spine and pelvis in 2021.

She added: "We are calling for research to get better outcomes because it doesn't have that at the moment."

A documentary on Dr Michaelis' campaign to lobby the government for support, called the Lobular Moon Shot Project, also premiered in London on Tuesday following the vigil.

The campaign has the support of 365 MPs, according to its website, including Horsham MP John Milne, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey, former Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt and Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle.

Mr Milne said: "This is really important. This has had massive cross party support and I am sure the government is getting the message."

A Department for Health and Social Care spokesperson said it met with the Lobular Moon Shot Project and was "taking decisive action to tackle breast cancer head on".

It added: "Our reforms to cancer care will see more than 100,000 people getting diagnosed faster with thousands more starting treatment within two months."

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