Oesophageal cancer on the rise in NI
Belfast based scientist set to tackle the disease with new research grant
A local scientist has been awarded almost £1 million, in a bid to improve treatment and survival rates for oesophageal cancer in Northern Ireland.
Dr Helen Coleman, is based at Queen’s University and was granted the funding through Cancer Research UK Career Establishment Award, ahead of World Cancer Day.
Dr Coleman said she has been inspired to work in the field after the disease touched her family:
"Both my parents received cancer diagnoses but thankfully survived.
"I also know about the devastating impact of oesophageal cancer after three members of my husband’s family were diagnosed with the disease.
"One uncle is a survivor, after he was diagnosed early enough to be treated with surgery – but the family sadly lost his other uncle and our sister-in-law’s father to the disease, both within two years of their diagnosis."
She added: "Every hour someone in Northern Ireland is diagnosed with cancer and I feel it’s really important to support life-saving cancer research.
"One way to do so is by wearing a unity band to mark World Cancer Day.
"Every band worn and every pound donated will help us beat cancer sooner.”
Over the next six years, Dr Coleman will analyse data from around 20,000 Barrett’s oesophagus patients and over 3,000 oesophageal cancer patients.
Over 200 people are diagnosed with oesophageal cancer in Northern Ireland every year and less than one in five will survive for at least five years after diagnosis.
Barrett’s oesophagus, a condition where some of the cells lining the food pipe have started to change is much more common with around 900 people diagnosed here each year.
In a small number of people these cells may develop into oesophageal cancer over time.
Northern Ireland has the only population register in the world of everyone in the country who has been diagnosed with Barrett’s oesophagus and this data will form the basis of her study.
Dr Coleman, who is from Portaferry, will investigate the impact of new endoscopic methods that have been introduced to monitor and treat Barrett’s oesophagus.
Previously the only potential intervention for early change in Barrett’s cells, called dysplasia, was surgery, which was considered an extreme measure for patients with early changes who might never develop cancer but in the past few years new techniques have enabled altered cells to be removed through during endoscopic examinations.
Dr Coleman will study whether the availability of these new treatments has meant that doctors are now more likely to accurately diagnose dysplasia in Barrett’s patients, and therefore potentially prevent more patients from developing oesophageal cancer.
She will also look at the effects of lifestyle factors including smoking, alcohol and nutrition, as well as the use of medications such as aspirin on the survival of oesophageal cancer patients after completing common treatments like chemotherapy and surgery.
Dr Coleman explained: "Oesophageal cancer is difficult to treat because around three quarters of cases are diagnosed at a late stage.
"It’s fantastic to be selected for this career defining award and I am excited about working to find new ways to help prevent this cancer and new treatments to help patients survive for longer.
"Belfast is the leading centre in this kind of large population study and I believe that our work can really make a difference to patients’ lives.”
Dr Coleman will work with data from the UK-wide Oesophageal Cancer Clinical and Molecular Stratification (OCCAMS) Consortium, which includes patients from Northern Ireland, for this part of the research.