An invitation to Europe's largest forum on breast cancer

The 6th European Breast Cancer Conference

What is EBCC?

The most exciting breast cancer conference in Europe, it is the only one that involves all the major players in breast cancer. The conference encourages interaction and collaboration between clinicians, scientists and patients in a partnership of equals to talk not just about scientific advances, but also the ethical, social, political, and practical issues associated with caring for patients with breast cancer. EBCC-6 is expected to attract over 5000 delegates from around 90 countries worldwide.

Here is a sample of the new results to be announced at the conference (embargoed to time of presentation at EBCC-6):

• Hereditary breast cancer – a high cost to patient and healthcare provider alike; why women may choose prophylactic mastectomy rather than go through years of stressful screening programmes

• How obese women are doubly disadvantaged; they do worse in both breast cancer treatment and diagnosis

• MRI before surgery can lead to better adapted treatment for breast cancer; should this become a standard procedure"

• Pregnant patients lose out in breast cancer treatment; a new approach is needed

• New chemotherapy combo produces side effects, but no extra efficacy, in early breast cancer patients

• Are aromatase inhibitors associated with increased heart problems" Important new evidence

• New type of drug shrinks primary breast cancer tumours significantly in just six weeks; research provides leads to a new target in breast cancer treatment – the stem cell

• Chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer: does it work best against sporadic tumours, or those associated with a BRCA1/2 genetic mutation"

• Breast cancer screening: is an annual mammogram better than a three-yearly one, and should women continue to be screened up to the age of 75" New evidence

• Can acupuncture provide effective relief from hot flushes in women who are suffering menopause-like symptoms as a result of taking tamoxifen"

• Results from the largest multi-centre trial to investigate the combination of trastuzumab and neoadjuvant chemotherapy for women with HER2 positive tumours provides surprising new data on safety and efficacy

• New study reveals that countries could save millions of Euros on follow-up care for breast cancer patients

• Breast tumours behave differently depending on whether women are older or younger than 70. Is the immune system involved"

Media briefings:

There will be news briefings in English on Wednesday (10am), Thursday (10am) and Friday (9am) and in German on Wednesday (11am).

To find full details of the programme: Visit the EBCC-6 web site: http://www.ecco-org.eu/Conferences-and-Events/EBCC-6/page.aspx/212

Free media registration – on provision of bona fide press credentials We welcome the media to EBCC-6. All sessions are open to journalists and registration is free to bona fide journalists on presentation of official press credentials. A media centre with computers, fax, printing, photocopying and free local and international telephone facilities and internet connections will be available. NB: the official conference language is English.

To register now (media only): EBCC-6 is open to bona fide representatives of print and electronic media. Registration is free of charge to journalists who are in possession of a valid, recognised press card. Freelance journalists must present a commissioning letter on headed paper from a recognised news organisation or publication.

A copy of the press card or of the commissioning letter should be sent, together with the media registration form to Riitta Kettunen, Riitta.Kettunen@ecco-org.eu (with scanned documents), or by fax to +32 (0)2 775 0200. You may download the media registration form at: http://www.ecco-org.eu/Conferences-and-Events/EBCC-6/For-the-media/Press-guidelines/page.aspx/539

The original of the press card or the commissioning letter should be presented at the conference registration desk together with a valid passport or ID card.

Journalists must register in person. Applications for media registrations via pharmaceutical, marketing, or public relations companies will not be accepted.

Media registration in advance is highly recommended, although on-site registration is also available..

Accommodation: If you wish to book accommodation, booking agents details can be found on: http://www.ecco-org.eu/Conferences-and-Events/EBCC-6/Accomodation/page.aspx/256