Lobular Breast Cancer: Moon Shot Project — [Wera Hobhouse in the Chair]

It is a pleasure to serve under Mrs Hobhouse's chairship. He thanked his hon. Friend for securing the debate and paid tribute to Dr Susan Michaelis, who passed away one year ago after founding the Lobular Moon Shot Project in 2023. He highlighted that invasive lobular breast cancer affects between 7,500 and 8,000 people annually in the UK, with no specifically designed treatment for this form of breast cancer, leading to poorer outcomes. The project calls for £20 million over five years to fund targeted research, which would improve understanding of the disease and support the development of therapies.

I thank the hon. Member for Horsham for securing the debate and express support for my constituent Emma Hunwick's campaigning efforts on lobular breast cancer, emphasizing the need for progress in the next 12 months.

Paid tribute to Dr Susan Michaelis, highlighting her career achievements in aviation safety and her diagnosis with lobular breast cancer which led to the creation of the Lobular Moon Shot Project. Emphasised that lobular breast cancer is difficult to detect through standard imaging techniques and called for regular MRI scans to improve early detection rates. I ask for more specific details regarding the Government's stance on ringfencing £20 million for research and whether proposals from the Lobular Moon Shot Project fall within this funding framework.

Jim Shannon commended the hon. Member for securing the debate and mentioned meetings with women in Northern Ireland who have lobular cancer, some of whom are critically ill. He asked if it was time for the Minister to allocate a small amount of money to alleviate health issues and fund research for women with lobular breast cancer.

Praised the hon. Member for Horsham for leading the debate, highlighting Susan's final visit to Parliament and the briefing shared by her husband Tristan. Emphasised that early detection is crucial as invasive lobular breast cancer can grow silently without visible warning signs.

Asked if Clive Jones was going to discuss medical training and education for doctors as well as public awareness campaigns on illnesses like invasive lobular breast cancer, highlighting their importance in addressing the issue effectively.

He acknowledged Dr Susan Michaelis' work and the challenge of detecting lobular breast cancer, which accounts for around 15% of cases. He emphasised the need to fund research accurately to improve detection, treatment, and surveillance through the Moon Shot Project, requesting a timeline from the government.

Paying tribute to Katie Swinburne, a constituent with lobular breast cancer and her campaigner Susan Michaelis, Sam Rushworth emphasized the importance of solidarity among those campaigning for better research funding. He highlighted that 28% of cases are detected at stage one compared to 38% for non-lobular breast cancers and called on the Government to ensure competitive funding rounds are available through UK Research and Innovation. Asked if UKRI should issue a specific call for research proposals addressing known questions about invasive lobular breast cancer through competitive peer review. There is a need for the Government to specify certain research questions they want addressed beyond a peer-reviewed competitive process, potentially bridging the gap between campaign groups and official research funding channels.

Mrs Hall shared the story of her constituent Trish, who was diagnosed with lobular breast cancer despite six mammograms over more than a decade. She emphasised that lobular breast cancer often does not form lumps and can be harder to detect on mammograms. Mrs Hall highlighted the need for better research into lobular breast cancer, earlier diagnosis, improved imaging techniques, and more effective treatments.

Supports the campaign for better funding and research into lobular breast cancer, highlighting the rising incidence rate of nearly 3% annually. Stresses the importance of improving pre-clinical understanding and clinical trials specific to lobular breast cancer. Emphasises the need for a dedicated funding commitment from the Government to launch the Moon Shot Project. We have public concern about lobular breast cancer, similar to that seen with brain tumours, which necessitates investment in better bids or staff for research and treatment improvements.

Shared personal experiences of family members affected by breast cancer over decades, stressing the importance of investing in research to improve survival rates and quality of life. This is not a party-political issue; the shadow Minister and the whole House can agree on the importance of improving imaging kits with 3D mammography, which Scotland introduced in 2022. The Scottish Parliament recently supported allocating £20 million for the lobular breast cancer Moon Shot Project.