Support 4 All study

1. Support,PositioningandOrganStabilisationduringBreast
CancerRadiationTherapy:SuPPORT4AllStudy
DrHeidiProbst
ReaderinRadiotherapy
OnbehalfoftheSuPPORT4AllProjectTeam

2. Photo by pfala - Creative Commons Attribution License http://www.flickr.com/photos/21313845@N04 Created with Haiku Deck
Today in the UK 125
women will be told they
have breast cancer

3. Photo by glokbell - Creative Commons Attribution License http://www.flickr.com/photos/11715835@N08 Created with Haiku Deck
Globally around 1.5
million are
diagnosed with the
disease annually

4. Photo by garryknight - Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License http://www.flickr.com/photos/8176740@N05 Created with Haiku Deck
Around 80% will survive
the disease beyond 5
years, survival projected to
reach 1.7 million by 2040

5. Hence it is important that
radiotherapy when given is given
accurately to ensure side effects are
minimised

6. • The main treatment for breast cancer is surgery,
where surgery has involved removal of the lump only
retaining the whole breast, radiotherapy will be given
to the breast after surgery.
• Traditionally this has been given using basic
radiotherapy beams. New technology provides the
opportunity to spare sensitive structures that lie close
to the breast such as the lung and the heart (where
the left breast is treated); these techniques require
greater accuracy in patient positioning.
• Set up errors in positioning of the breast for treatment
has consequences on the distribution of radiation
dose within the breast. Set-up errors may also
increase the risk of the cancer coming back within the
breast.

7. Study Aim
The aim of this 31 month study (March 2015-
Sept 2017) is to develop a support device that
will allow accurate positioning of the breast on
a day to day basis, that is acceptable to patients
and helps to maintain modesty and dignity
during treatment

8. Design
Refinement
Technical
Testing
Health
Economics
and Service
Integration
Clinical
Testing
Stages of the Study

9. We need your help
Patient and public involvement is central to this study
and critical to refining the design of the support
device for comfort and functionality to ensure patient
compliance once the product is embedded in
radiotherapy practice. The study would like to invite 2
user representatives (local to Sheffield) who have had
experience of breast cancer and radiotherapy
treatment from Breast Cancer Care Voices to become
part of the project steering committee (meeting to be
held in Sheffield 3 times a year) for the duration of
the project. These local representatives will be
reimbursed for their input into the steering
committee (£25 per meeting) and travel time (£10).
Patient and Public Involvement

10. • Additionally, as part of the initial stages of the
development of the prototype we would like to
seek the views of between 8-10 women (local to
Sheffield) who have had experience of breast
cancer and radiotherapy treatment (within 5 years).
• We intend to run a user workshop in Sheffield in
May 2015 to elicit the views of women regarding
their radiotherapy experiences and specifically
their views about the product design. User
representatives will be reimbursed for their input
into the workshop (£25) and travel time (£10).
Patient and Public Involvement

11. If you would like to know more details about our
study and are interested in helping us please
contact
Dr Heidi Probst h.probst@shu.ac.uk
(01142254359)
Are you interested?

12. Finally…
SuPPORT 4 All study bringing
accuracy and dignity to breast
radiotherapy.