Hundreds of MPs back Horsham doctor's call for £20 million cancer research project

It follows months of campaigning by the Lobular Moon Shot Project headed by Dr Susan Michaelis who herself has stage four incurable lobular breast cancer.

Despite being the second most common form of breast cancer, the disease still lacks a specific treatment and is often described in the research field as the ‘forgotten cancer.’

Dr Michaelis said the MPs’ backing was ‘a big milestone.’ “One thousand people globally are diagnosed every day, and generally at a later stage because lobular is frequently missed on mammograms, especially with denser breasts.

"Even though researchers already acknowledge that lobular breast cancer behaves differently to ductal breast cancer, to really understand the distinct biology of lobular, and to provide targeted therapies, there needs to be an intensive research project and that’s what we are proposing. To have the backing of more than 220 MPs demonstrates the seriousness and urgency of the issue.”

Horsham MP Jeremy Quin and fellow MP Dehanna Davison were the first to support the Lobular Moon Shot Project in 2023 which is campaigning for research at The Institute of Cancer Research in London.

Dr Michaelis was diagnosed with lobular breast cancer in 2013. “Of course, I had never heard of it,” she said. “After a double mastectomy and radiotherapy, I was put on further treatment. However, I quickly learnt that my breast cancer, invasive lobular breast cancer had not been seen on years of mammogram and ultrasound screening and surgery showed that it was identified at a more advanced stage.” She said that it was more difficult to see on imaging.

She added: "Lobular is not a rare cancer; it is diagnosed in 8,500 people annually in the UK. It is more common than many other types of cancer which have had a greater research focus.”

She said her cancer had now spread to her bones, pelvis and skin. "There is no cure for me. I feel very let down as I realise lobular is not afforded early diagnosis; I was not given treatments based on science ‘specific' to lobular breast cancer, as it does not exist and until recently been forgotten.

"Since I was first diagnosed, another 120,000+ people in the UK have also been diagnosed with lobular breast cancer.”

Dr Michaelis and her husband set up the Lobular Moon Shot Project in 2023. “A year on we are supported by so many people, many with lobular who, like us, want solutions.” See lobularmoonshot.org

The Moon Shot Project needs to raise £20,000,000 over five years to enable the Institute of Cancer Research to undertake the research. So far more than £75,000 has been raised by community fundraising.

MP Jeremy Quin said:“I am pleased that we had a productive discussion with the Minister to push the case for funding. With the Department of Health and Social Care firmly behind us we are pulling out all the stops to get the right answer, however there is still more work to do and we’re on it.”