Lobular cancer campaigners meet health secretary

A group of campaigners, including some from Surrey and Sussex, have met Health Secretary Wes Streeting in a call for more research into a form of breast cancer which "has no specific treatment".

Lobular cancer is often missed because it begins in the milk-producing lobule glands and often does not form a lump.

Dr Susan Michaelis from Horsham in West Sussex, founded the Lobular Moon Shot charity and was due to be at the meeting on Monday but died last week.

In a statement, the government said it was taking "decisive action" to tackle breast cancer and continued to encourage applications for research funding.

Dr Michaelis's husband, Tristan Loraine, said: "The day after my wife passed away, the leaders of most political parties wrote to the prime minister and Wes Streeting, and said 'please fund this project, stop other people dying.'

"This is the will of the majority of MPs."

The campaigners want the government to commit to spending £20m over five years for research.

Kate Ford from Walton-on-Thames was diagnosed with lobular breast cancer in 2022, and has undergone surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

She said: "Lobular cancer has been known about for 80 years and 22 women a day are diagnosed in the UK, and they find out there is no specific treatment because the basic biology of this disease has never been studied.

"The Lobular Moon shot, partnered with the Manchester Breast Centre have put together a team of global experts. The project is ready to go."

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: "We're taking decisive action to tackle breast cancer head-on, from launching world-leading AI trials to catch it earlier, to driving forward vital research that improves care and saves lives."

It said it continued to encourage further applications for research funding through the National Institute for Health and Care Research and UK Research and Innovation.

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

"Across the NHS, we've already hit our target of delivering two million extra operations, scans and appointments seven months early."

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