New Zealand has one of the highest rates of incidence and the third highest death rate from breast cancer in the western world. In order to put a stop to this epidemic there are four key areas of work that the Breast Cancer Research Trust focuses on:

• Early detection
• Predictive diagnosis
• Appropriate treatment
• Prevention

Breast cancer statistics have indicated that early detection through breast screening has been proven to substantially increase chances of survival in breast cancer. However detection methods are still relatively crude (as anyone who has had a mammogram recently will vouch for!). Unfortunately self examination misses most early stage cancers formed prior to a significant breast lump developing and by the time cancer has developed to the point of lumps being evident through self exam the cancer is often well advanced.

If early detection is a key factor in breast cancer survival, predictive diagnosis is the ultimate in early detection work. As types of breast cancer are being differentiated by science, the opportunities are increasing to be able to predict an individual’s propensity to develop certain types of breast cancer. This science is already available for people with a high genetic pre-disposition to breast cancer.

Through the science that is developing capability in predictive diagnosis it is also becoming increasingly clear that the most effective treatments for breast cancer in the future will focus on targeted treatment therapies developed specifically for the individual type of breast cancer present. This is the area that the Breast Cancer Research Trust feels offers the best chance for the biggest impact on breast cancer treatment modalities and survival rates. This methodology is the same science that has produced Herceptin and Tamoxifin, targeting estrogen receptors in breast cancers. Recent developments in epidemiology and genomics indicate that there are bigger prizes to be had in this area. It is also hoped that targeted treatments will be less physically radical and damaging for women as the current treatments including mastectomy, partial mastectomy or in cases of metastasis to lymph nodes, lymphectomy.

Prevention is the final plank to the Breast Cancer Research Trust’s research vision. An individual’s propensity to contract Breast Cancer is impacted by over 200 lifestyle factors. One of the roles of the Breast Cancer Research Trust is to ensure that, while we publish a global perspective on factors that may impact breast cancer, we only endorse those lifestyle changes that are scientifically and irrefutably proven to be primary causes of the disease.

The Breast Cancer Research Trust has funded several major research initiatives. These are in partnership with The University of Auckland, University of Otago, University of Canterbury, Auckland District Health Board, St Marks Womans Health,the Liggins Institute, Auckland and the Malaghan Institute in Wellington. We are currently funding several research projects which are led by world class researchers all of whom have signed up to the Trust’s vision of a cure in the next decade. 

Should you wish to apply for funding from The Breast Cancer Research Trust, please contact us for an application form. The Trust's Scientific Advisory Panel evaluate each grant application against criteria covering originality, scientific merit, deliverability, the researchers track record and it's relevance to New Zealand.

Research Ventures

In order to effectively advance the attainment of a cure for breast cancer in New Zealand it is critical that the Breast Cancer Research Trust fund early stage drug development companies, to ensure that high potential research in the laboratory has access to the finances necessary to commence the high risk process of moving towards commercialisation.

Therefore Breast Cancer Cure Ventures Limited (BCCV) was incorporated on 24 November 2009, and is currently a wholly owned subsidiary of Breast Cancer Cure Limited, which in turn is a wholly owned subsidiary of BCRT.
The following companies are now part of the Breast Cancer Research Trust stable and all have the goal of progressing current research projects into commercial ventures : Perseis Therapeutics Limited and Pathway Therapeutics Limited.