Latest news with #DCIS
Sassy Mama
25-07-2025
- General
- Sassy Mama
Preschoolers Get A Sneak Peek Of School Life With A Play-Based Experience At This International School
Starting school can be overwhelming, but Dover Court's Stay & Play sessions give preschoolers a fun, play-based experience to help them explore, play and ease into school life with confidence. The first days of school for some children can come with a few nerves, butterflies in the stomach and in some cases, separation challenges. Dover Court International School (DCIS) understands that starting school can be stressful for both parents and children. Their Stay & Play sessions, designed for Nursery, Reception, and Year 1 applicants, use a unique play-based approach to ease start-of-school jitters. Explore & interact, minus the first-day pressure Upon application, DCIS's Stay & Play sessions let kids of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and Year 1 experience a fun, no-pressure, play-based experience before they officially join. During the session, preschoolers aged 3 to 5 (Nursery, Reception and Year 1) get to explore the classroom, meet teachers and interact with their future classmates in a play-based setting. Increasing confidence and familiarity with the environment helps ease the start-of-school anxiety, which can be overwhelming for the little ones. And yes, Stay & Play is for the parents, too! Instead of worrying and wondering if the school will be a good fit for your child, parents can gain valuable insight into daily life and DCIS's nurturing, inclusive learning environment. What's more, DCIS's academic team also uses these sessions as an opportunity to learn from the true experts on these children – the parents! Chat one-on-one with members of their Primary Senior Leadership Team who are eager to learn more about your child, so they can better understand their interests and needs before school begins. Stay, play & see if the school is the right fit Through the Stay & Play session, the school's academic team can get to know your child before school starts! At DCIS, every aspect of learning is thoughtfully adapted to support your child and challenge them at the right level to achieve their personal best. Understanding that each child is unique, DCIS believes that what makes your child special can't always be captured in an application form. These sessions allow the school's academic team to observe how children engage, communicate and learn, while also learning directly from parents, so their children's personalities can shine and their learning can be tailored from day one. So say goodbye to the butterflies, because your child will have already had a sneak peek at the fun and learning that await them at DCIS! Dover Court International School is now accepting applications. Click here to enquire and get ready for your Stay & Play session to experience their personalised and nurturing early years programme firsthand. Dover Court International School, 301 Dover Road, Singapore 139644, admissions@ Tel: (+ 65) 6775 7664, The post Preschoolers Get A Sneak Peek Of School Life With A Play-Based Experience At This International School appeared first on Sassy Mama.
Scotsman
10-07-2025
- Health
- Scotsman
Edinburgh scientists receive funding to stop early form of breast cancer becoming invasive
Researchers are hoping to find new ways to predict when an early form of breast cancer is likely to progress and develop new treatments for those at risk, thanks to new funding from Breast Cancer Now. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Dr Takanori Kitamura at the University of Edinburgh has been awarded £267,585 to investigate a type of immune cell called a macrophage and how it might help an early and non-invasive form of breast cancer known as ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) to progress. Around 7,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with DCIS every year. It begins in the lining of the milk ducts of the breast, but at this stage, the cancer cells haven't developed the ability to grow into the surrounding breast tissue. Because it remains contained at this stage, DCIS generally has a very good prognosis. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The treatment usually involves surgery to remove the affected area of the breast. The surgery may be followed by radiotherapy and in some cases hormone therapy. But even with treatment, a small number of DCIS cases can still progress to become invasive breast cancer. Invasive cancer has the potential to also spread to other parts of the body, where it becomes incurable. Dr Takanori Kitamura However, many cases may never progress and people with low-risk DCIS may not need extensive and intensive treatments they currently receive that can reduce their quality of life. But there is no reliable way to tell apart low-risk DCIS cases that will never progress and high-risk DCIS cases that may develop into invasive breast cancer. This makes it difficult to select the most suitable treatment. Dr Takanori Kitamura and his team recently found that a type of immune cell, called a macrophage, could be involved in DCIS progression. They found that macrophages making a protein called SIGLEC1 were present within DCIS that later became invasive. Now, with Breast Cancer Now funding, the researchers want to discover why. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The team will use cutting-edge technology to understand what genes these macrophages rely on and which proteins they make. This knowledge will help them to understand how they communicate with DCIS cells and other non-cancer cells to help DCIS gain the ability to spread and become invasive breast cancer. Then they'll investigate mini tumours in the lab, where they'll study how proteins made by macrophages impact DCIS cells to become invasive. Finally, they will test if blocking these proteins is an effective treatment to prevent DCIS progression. Dr Takanori Kitamura said: 'Our research will help us understand how the immune system is involved in DCIS progression. This could help us predict which DCIS tumours are likely to become invasive. And it could pave the way for the development of new treatments to prevent progression, ultimately improving outcomes for people diagnosed with this early form of breast cancer.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Dr Kotryna Temcinaite, head of research communications at Breast Cancer Now said: 'Breast Cancer Now is delighted to fund this research that could help to identify patients with high-risk DCIS who could benefit from treatment, whilst also sparing individuals with low-risk DCIS that may never cause any harm from unnecessary therapies that may impact their quality of life.' Djennah Benaouicha, from Motherwell, Scotland was diagnosed with DCIS last year at the age of 32. Djennah, an NHS physiotherapist and mum to five-year-old daughter Millie, started regularly checking her breasts after her older sister Nadia was diagnosed with DCIS four years ago. In February last year, Djennah found a lump. Although her GP referred her quickly to the breast clinic, a series of inconclusive ultrasounds and biopsies meant her diagnosis was delayed by months. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad When Djennah went back to the breast clinic, she took her sister Nadia with her - a decision she will be eternally grateful for. Djennah says: 'Nadia assumed I'd already been offered a mammogram, so when she found out I hadn't, she spoke up and said we'd feel more comfortable if one could be done. The doctors were reluctant because I was under 40 and mammograms can be less effective in younger women due to dense breast tissue, but Nadia pushed - and thankfully, they agreed.' The mammogram revealed a suspicious area, followed by a second ultrasound that picked up changes in tissue texture. A guided biopsy finally confirmed high-grade DCIS. 'The diagnosis was a shock, but I felt incredibly lucky it was caught early enough to avoid chemotherapy,' Djennah says. 'It's overwhelming to think how different things could have been if we hadn't insisted on that mammogram and what might have happened years down the line.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Because both sisters had been diagnosed with DCIS in their thirties, they were sent for gene testing and discovered they both have a rare ATM gene mutation which carries an increased risk of breast cancer. The risk of Djennah having breast cancer, based on her form of gene mutation along with her also having had DCIS already is now 70 per cent, so she has decided to have a preventative double mastectomy once she recovers from her recent surgery and radiotherapy. 'It's not a risk I want to take, I've got my wee girl to think about,' Djennah says. Now, Djennah is supporting new research into DCIS and how it may develop into invasive breast cancer. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'I'm fully behind this research,' she says. 'It gives me hope that we're moving toward better treatments and more personalised care. If we can understand individual risk better, maybe fewer people will need to go through surgery or radiotherapy unnecessarily. These treatments are tough, physically and emotionally. It's reassuring to know scientists are working towards giving people clearer information about their treatment.'
Scotsman
10-07-2025
- Health
- Scotsman
Edinburgh scientists receive funding to stop early form of breast cancer becoming invasive
Researchers are hoping to find new ways to predict when an early form of breast cancer is likely to progress and develop new treatments for those at risk, thanks to new funding from Breast Cancer Now. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Dr Takanori Kitamura at the University of Edinburgh has been awarded £267,585 to investigate a type of immune cell called a macrophage and how it might help an early and non-invasive form of breast cancer known as ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) to progress. Around 7,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with DCIS every year. It begins in the lining of the milk ducts of the breast, but at this stage, the cancer cells haven't developed the ability to grow into the surrounding breast tissue. Because it remains contained at this stage, DCIS generally has a very good prognosis. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The treatment usually involves surgery to remove the affected area of the breast. The surgery may be followed by radiotherapy and in some cases hormone therapy. But even with treatment, a small number of DCIS cases can still progress to become invasive breast cancer. Invasive cancer has the potential to also spread to other parts of the body, where it becomes incurable. Dr Takanori Kitamura However, many cases may never progress and people with low-risk DCIS may not need extensive and intensive treatments they currently receive that can reduce their quality of life. But there is no reliable way to tell apart low-risk DCIS cases that will never progress and high-risk DCIS cases that may develop into invasive breast cancer. This makes it difficult to select the most suitable treatment. Dr Takanori Kitamura and his team recently found that a type of immune cell, called a macrophage, could be involved in DCIS progression. They found that macrophages making a protein called SIGLEC1 were present within DCIS that later became invasive. Now, with Breast Cancer Now funding, the researchers want to discover why. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The team will use cutting-edge technology to understand what genes these macrophages rely on and which proteins they make. This knowledge will help them to understand how they communicate with DCIS cells and other non-cancer cells to help DCIS gain the ability to spread and become invasive breast cancer. Then they'll investigate mini tumours in the lab, where they'll study how proteins made by macrophages impact DCIS cells to become invasive. Finally, they will test if blocking these proteins is an effective treatment to prevent DCIS progression. Dr Takanori Kitamura said: 'Our research will help us understand how the immune system is involved in DCIS progression. This could help us predict which DCIS tumours are likely to become invasive. And it could pave the way for the development of new treatments to prevent progression, ultimately improving outcomes for people diagnosed with this early form of breast cancer.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Dr Kotryna Temcinaite, head of research communications at Breast Cancer Now said: 'Breast Cancer Now is delighted to fund this research that could help to identify patients with high-risk DCIS who could benefit from treatment, whilst also sparing individuals with low-risk DCIS that may never cause any harm from unnecessary therapies that may impact their quality of life.' Djennah Benaouicha, from Motherwell, Scotland was diagnosed with DCIS last year at the age of 32. Djennah, an NHS physiotherapist and mum to five-year-old daughter Millie, started regularly checking her breasts after her older sister Nadia was diagnosed with DCIS four years ago. In February last year, Djennah found a lump. Although her GP referred her quickly to the breast clinic, a series of inconclusive ultrasounds and biopsies meant her diagnosis was delayed by months. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad When Djennah went back to the breast clinic, she took her sister Nadia with her - a decision she will be eternally grateful for. Djennah says: 'Nadia assumed I'd already been offered a mammogram, so when she found out I hadn't, she spoke up and said we'd feel more comfortable if one could be done. The doctors were reluctant because I was under 40 and mammograms can be less effective in younger women due to dense breast tissue, but Nadia pushed - and thankfully, they agreed.' The mammogram revealed a suspicious area, followed by a second ultrasound that picked up changes in tissue texture. A guided biopsy finally confirmed high-grade DCIS. 'The diagnosis was a shock, but I felt incredibly lucky it was caught early enough to avoid chemotherapy,' Djennah says. 'It's overwhelming to think how different things could have been if we hadn't insisted on that mammogram and what might have happened years down the line.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Because both sisters had been diagnosed with DCIS in their thirties, they were sent for gene testing and discovered they both have a rare ATM gene mutation which carries an increased risk of breast cancer. The risk of Djennah having breast cancer, based on her form of gene mutation along with her also having had DCIS already is now 70 per cent, so she has decided to have a preventative double mastectomy once she recovers from her recent surgery and radiotherapy. 'It's not a risk I want to take, I've got my wee girl to think about,' Djennah says. Now, Djennah is supporting new research into DCIS and how it may develop into invasive breast cancer. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'I'm fully behind this research,' she says. 'It gives me hope that we're moving toward better treatments and more personalised care. If we can understand individual risk better, maybe fewer people will need to go through surgery or radiotherapy unnecessarily. These treatments are tough, physically and emotionally. It's reassuring to know scientists are working towards giving people clearer information about their treatment.' Breast Cancer Now is the research and support charity here for anyone affected by breast cancer. Call their free confidential helpline on 0808 800 6000 to speak to their expert nurses or find out more and donate at
Edinburgh Live
30-06-2025
- Health
- Edinburgh Live
West Lothian mum given devastating diagnosis at routine scan despite no symptoms
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info A West Lothian mum was diagnosed with breast cancer out of the blue without suffering any symptoms. Angela Mairs was given the devastating diagnosis following a routine mammogram in March last year. After the scan she received a letter saying it had been inconclusive as she was asked to attend a follow up. According to Angela, she didn't even take her husband to the appointment as she had no reason to be concerned. Sadly, further tests showed Angela had Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS), an early stage form of breast cancer. Speaking to the West Lothian Courier, Angela is now urging people to take the opportunity of screening and is set to take on a marathon-length moonlit challenge in Edinburgh. The 58-year-old, from Uphall Station, will take part in this year's MoonWalk Scotland, where women and men wear brightly decorated bras and walk 26.2 miles through the streets of Edinburgh. (Image: MoonWalk Scotland) "I was diagnosed with breast cancer out of the blue," said Angela. "It was the third mammogram I'd had since turning 50. "I'd had absolutely no symptoms beforehand - no lumps, rash or puckering of the skin, classic symptoms of possible breast cancer. Then I received a letter saying the scan had been 'inconclusive' and asking me to attend for a follow up. "I am a bit busty and thought there was simply some sort of technical issue with getting the right type of images. I didn't take my husband along to that second appointment, I wasn't concerned at all. "Everything snowballed from there. There was an area in my left breast which needed to be investigated further. I had an ultrasound scan and two biopsies and returned to see the consultant a couple of weeks later for my results. He told me I had Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS), an early-stage form of breast cancer, which was a huge shock. (Image: MoonWalk Scotland) "Some cells in the lining of the ducts of the breast tissue had started to turn into cancer cells, but hadn't yet spread elsewhere. "If they hadn't been discovered when they were - by the mammogram - this would have been a real possibility. "DCIS cells look like grains of rice on scans - they're quite small, which is why I wasn't able to feel anything untoward myself." Angela had surgery to remove the cancer in June last year. Although it went well, a wound became infected. She has also had five radiotherapy sessions. Prior to Angela's surgery she received hormone therapy to slow the growth of cells, but an unfortunate side-effect is symptoms of the menopause. She has also thanked those around her for their support, including her husband Derek, 22-year-old son Jake and his partner Neve. "My friends and family have been absolutely amazing," she said. "My husband is self-employed and my friends were incredibly supportive while I was recovering from surgery, so that he could keep on working. "I felt like I had my own private 'meals on wheels' service and they gave me with lifts everywhere too. After having been off work for a large part of last year, I now feel as though I'm back to business as usual and enjoying my normal life. Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages. "I do need to build up my stamina. Taking part in The MoonWalk Scotland in September and all the training I'll need to do beforehand will give me a fantastic focus, as I try to regain my fitness." This won't be the first time Angela has taken part in the Full Moon event, she completed it back in 2019. "I really enjoyed the night and loved the wonderful atmosphere - there were people out on the route supporting us at 2 o'clock in the morning," she recalled. Walk the Walk has already contributed millions of pounds in grants to the Breast Unit at the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh. Angela added: "I've well and truly used all the services at the Western General which Walk the Walk has helped to fund - the mammography unit, operating theatre and breast cancer ward. "I'm also incredibly thankful for the mammogram which discovered my cancer when it did. This wasn't detectable without a mammogram, there were no symptoms. If breast cancer is caught early enough, a lot can be done to prevent the disease spreading. "I'd urge everyone who is invited to take up the offer of getting a mammogram. It could save your life". The event has been going for the last 19 years and the date for this year's is Saturday, September 6. To sign up for The MoonWalk Scotland 2025, visit:
Daily Record
30-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Record
Routine scan led to early breast cancer diagnosis for West Lothian woman who's going out walking after midnight
Angela Mairs is taking on the marathon-distance charity challenge to give something back A West Lothian woman who received a breast cancer diagnosis out of the blue is taking on a marathon-length moonlit challenge. Angela Mairs was hit with the shocking news following a routine mammogram in March last year and is now urging people to take the opportunity of screening. The 58-year-old mum from Uphall Staion, Livingston, will take part in this year's The MoonWalk Scotland, when women and men wearing brightly decorated bras walk 26.2 miles through the streets of Edinburgh. Organised by breast cancer charity Walk the Walk, this year's event will be the last to take place in the capital for the time being as it goes on tour to a new city. 'I was diagnosed with breast cancer out of the blue,' said Angela. 'It was the third mammogram I'd had since turning 50. 'I'd had absolutely no symptoms beforehand – no lumps, rash or puckering of the skin, classic symptoms of possible breast cancer. 'Then I received a letter saying the scan had been 'inconclusive' and asking me to attend for a follow up. 'I am a bit busty and thought there was simply some sort of technical issue with getting the right type of images. I didn't take my husband along to that second appointment, I wasn't concerned at all. 'Everything snowballed from there. There was an area in my left breast which needed to be investigated further. I had an ultrasound scan and two biopsies and returned to see the consultant a couple of weeks later for my results. He told me I had Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS), an early-stage form of breast cancer, which was a huge shock. 'Some cells in the lining of the ducts of the breast tissue had started to turn into cancer cells, but hadn't yet spread elsewhere. 'If they hadn't been discovered when they were – by the mammogram – this would have been a real possibility. 'DCIS cells look like grains of rice on scans – they're quite small, which is why I wasn't able to feel anything untoward myself.' The Business Support admin worker had surgery to remove the cancer in June last year. The procedure is known as a bilateral mammoplasty. Affected tissue was removed from her left breast with her right breast then adjusted to the same size. Although surgery went well, a wound became infected. Angela also had five sessions of radiotherapy. Prior to surgery she received hormone therapy, Letrozole, to slow the growth of the cells, which she continues to take, although an unfortunate side-effect is symptoms of menopause. Angela is grateful for the support of those around her, in particular her husband Derek, 22-year-old son Derek, and his partner Neve. 'My friends and family have been absolutely amazing,' she said. 'My husband is self-employed and my friends were incredibly supportive while I was recovering from surgery, so that he could keep on working. 'I felt like I had my own private 'meals on wheels' service and they gave me with lifts everywhere too. 'After having been off work for a large part of last year, I now feel as though I'm back to business as usual and enjoying my normal life. 'I do need to build up my stamina. Taking part in The MoonWalk Scotland in September and all the training I'll need to do beforehand will give me a fantastic focus, as I try to regain my fitness.' This won't be the first time Angela has taken part in the Full Moon event, she completed it back in 2019. 'I really enjoyed the night and loved the wonderful atmosphere – there were people out on the route supporting us at 2 o'clock in the morning,' she recalled. Walk the Walk has already contributed millions of pounds in grants to the Breast Unit at the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh. Angela added: 'I've well and truly used all the services at the Western General which Walk the Walk has helped to fund – the mammography unit, operating theatre and breast cancer ward. 'I'm also incredibly thankful for the mammogram which discovered my cancer when it did. This wasn't detectable without a mammogram, there were no symptoms. If breast cancer is caught early enough, a lot can be done to prevent the disease spreading. "I'd urge everyone who is invited to take up the offer of getting a mammogram. It could save your life'. The event has been going for the last 19 years and the date for this year's is Saturday, September 6. To sign up for The MoonWalk Scotland 2025, visit:
