Crowdfunding in the fight against breast cancerResearchers raise money for research into a new method of detecting breast cancer5 March 2013 |
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Professor Wiendelt Steenbergen, of the University of Twente, has launched an appeal to the general public in the fight against breast cancer. For several years now, his department and the Medical Spectrum Twente hospital group have been cooperating on the development of a completely new technique for detecting breast cancer. The scientists involved now want to pursue various lines of research with their new technique, known as Pammography. For instance, they want to find out whether Pammography could be used to detect malignant breast tumours in women below the age of 50. One advantage of their technique is that it does not involve the use of X-rays, another is that the measurement process is painless. Prof. Steenbergen hopes that crowdfunding among private individuals, companies and other organizations will generate the financial resources needed to determine whether this method is indeed suitable for detecting breast cancer in younger women. In addition, he wants to use these funds to build a device that can be installed in a population screening centre in the eastern region of the Netherlands. One in eight women in the Netherlands will, at some point in their life, be diagnosed with breast cancer. Around 25 percent of these individuals will die within ten years of this diagnosis. Generally speaking, the earlier that breast cancer is detected, the greater the patient’s chances of survival. To detect breast cancer as soon as possible, all women aged between 50 and 75 are sent an invitation to attend for breast cancer screening once every two years. This involves taking X-ray photographs (mammograms) of the breasts. While this screening technique does indeed detect many malignant tumours, it also suffers from a number of disadvantages. For instance, mammography is less suitable for women under the age of 50 (as young breast tissue is less transparent to X-rays), some malignant tumours are still overlooked, and 70 percent of the women who are referred for further tests turn out not to have breast cancer. New method The researchers have developed a new device, which they call the Pammograph. This device illuminates the chest area with brief pulses of light, which generate ultrasound in places where there is a lot of blood, such as the areas around malignant tumours. This ultrasound then travels from the tumour to the surface of the skin, where it can be measured. The researchers have shown that this technique can detect almost all malignant breast tumours. Indeed, it is sometimes possible to obtain clear images in cases where little or nothing could be seen on the mammograms. Unlike X-rays, the wavelength of light used in this technique can penetrate young breast tissue, bringing breast cancer screening for women under the age of 50 a little closer. An additional advantage is that the measurement is painless, because - unlike conventional mammography - this technique does not require the breast to be compressed. Donate money The researchers want to launch their crowdfunding campaign on 1 March, using Flintwave, the first crowdfunding platform for scientists in the Netherlands. They want to use these funds to find out whether their method is indeed suitable for younger women. They also want to build a Pammograph for a population screening centre in the eastern region of the Netherlands. Prof. Steenbergen points out that “Much more research is needed if we are to prove that Pammography can indeed help more women to survive breast cancer. We therefore hope that as many private individuals and businesses as possible will donate money. All contributions, however small, are most welcome. Our goal is painless breast cancer examinations for women of all ages.” According to Wiendelt Steenbergen, in times of changing government policy and declining research funding, crowdfunding is an effective way to acquire funds for relevant research. “In this way, private donors can directly influence ongoing scientific research.” You can find further details about the project and about opportunities to contribute at Flintwave’s website (from 1 March). The same information can be accessed via www.pammografie.nl. The researchers use this website, as well as Twitter and Facebook, to keep everyone informed about this project’s progress. The research team The study is a cooperative venture between the Biomedical Photonic Imaging department (at the University of Twente’s MIRA research institute), the Medical Spectrum Twente hospital group’s Center for Breast Care, and the eastern Netherlands Radiology Partnership. Note to the press For more information or requests for interviews, please contact the Science Information Officer, Joost Bruysters, on +31 (0)6 10488228.
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