Dozens of women found to have increased cancer risk in Sarah Harding study

Dozens of young women have found out they are at increased risk of breast cancer as part of the study named in memory of singer Sarah Harding.

Harding, who was part of the pop group Girls Aloud, died from the disease aged 39 in 2021 and one of her final wishes was to find new ways of spotting breast cancer early, when it is more treatable.

Early results from the study show that 58 woman aged between 30 and 39 years old have been identified at increased risk and have been given information on steps they can take to reduce their odds of being diagnosed with the disease.

They will also be offered yearly check-ups until they reach the age when they are eligible for NHS breast cancer screening at the age of 50.

The news comes as her bandmates Cheryl Tweedy, Kimberley Walsh, Nadine Coyle and Nicola Roberts said they “miss Sarah every day” and “will do everything in our power to support research in her name”.

The Breast Cancer Risk Assessment in Young Women (Bcan-Ray) project, which is being run by experts at The Christie Hospital in Manchester where Harding was treated, hopes to identify which women are at risk of getting the disease in their 30s.

The study, funded by The Christie Charity’s Sarah Harding Breast Cancer Appeal, began in May 2023.

The initial phase of the project aims to recruit 1,000 women aged 30 to 39.

Women who take part are asked to complete a questionnaire, have a risk assessment mammogram and provide a saliva sample for genetic testing.

Information from the mammogram and the genetic test are then combined with other factors such as when a woman’s periods started, alcohol consumption and use of the contraceptive pill, to provide a personalised breast cancer risk score.

To date, 500 women have been recruited. Some 404 have been given their risk score, with 88 found to be at “increased risk” and 316 at “average risk”.

Some 58 women at increased risk have been contacted so far.

“We’re really confident that we have a system that is working, from the results so far, which is great news,” said Dr Sacha Howell, who was also Sarah Harding’s consultant when she was being treated at The Christie.

“These findings mean that we may be able to offer personalised ways to predict and prevent breast cancer more widely in the population in future.

“We have expanded the recruitment sites for this study beyond The Christie hospital to other cancer units at Lancaster, Wirral, Bolton, Tameside, Leighton, Wigan and Macclesfield.

“In five years’ time we would like to see the risk prediction for breast cancer in young women rolled out across the UK so we can reduce the number of deaths and improve lives.”

In a statement, Harding’s bandmates said: “Before Sarah passed away, we promised her we would fulfil her wish of raising as much money as possible for vital breast cancer research.

“Too many young women who have no reason to believe they are at risk of breast cancer are dying from the disease.

“We miss Sarah every day and will do everything in our power to support research in her name to reduce the chances of other women going through what she experienced.”

It has also been announced that a senior research laboratory post will be named after Harding.

The Sarah Harding Young Women’s Breast Cancer Fellowship post will focus on work around breast cancer risks for women in their 30s.

Dr Howell added: “We have made great strides in the first phase of our Bcan-Ray study, and ‘The Sarah Harding Young Women’s Breast Cancer Fellowship’ will bring us a step closer to achieving Sarah’s goal.

“Her wish was that no other young woman should experience the shock and devastation of a breast cancer diagnosis when they have no reason to think they are at risk and have no family history of the disease.”

Around 2,300 women aged 39 and under are diagnosed with breast cancer in the UK each year.