All Policies Include Coronavirus Cover
Call for an instant quote 0345 90 80 161
Open Mon to Fri 09:00 - 17:30
Coronavirus FAQs
Questions about cover for coronavirus? Read our FAQs and find out what our policies can do for you. If you would like to contact us, please note we are currently only available 09:00 to 17:30 Monday to Friday due to reduced operational capacity. Thank you.
14 July 2015 08:47
Breast cancer patients could benefit from having progesterone added to their treatment, data suggests
Breast cancer outlooks could be improved by having a widely available female hormone added to treatments, research suggests.
Progesterone, which is involved in signals between cell molecules, has been found to hold back tumour growth.
Cancer Research UK predicts adding the hormone to treatments could benefit half of breast cancer patients.
Breakthrough
The fact that breast cancer patients whose tumours have progesterone receptors - molecules sensitive to the hormone - often have a better outlook has puzzled scientists for a number of decades.
But experts at the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute believe they have finally come up with the answer.
They used cutting-edge technology to identify the crucial role that progesterone receptors play in breast cancer.
The progesterone receptor was found to "talk to" another receptor sensitive to the hormone oestrogen, which fuels breast cancer in a large number of cases.
This applies a brake on the oestrogen receptor's ability to stimulate tumours.
Travel plans
Around 50,000 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed each year in the UK.
But a diagnosis does not mean life has to stop.
Breast cancer travel insurance gives patients the peace of mind they need to explore the world.
Clinical trial
The researchers claim half of the 50,000 new patients could potentially benefit from their discovery.
Dr Jason Carroll, one of the authors of the study, says the finding provides a strong case for a clinical trial to investigate the potential benefit of adding progesterone to drugs that target the oestrogen receptor.
He claims doing so could improve treatment for the majority of hormone-driven breast cancers.
Drugs such as Tamoxifen are commonly used to treat oestrogen-sensitive breast cancers. They block the hormone's receptor.
In future, they could be combined with progesterone to mount a two-pronged attack on the disease.
The findings of the new study were reported in the Nature journal.
17 March 2020
Escape it all with a visit to one of the world's hidden island gems.
[more...]
02 July 2021
It's time for some Mediterranean sun and unforgettable sights. Here are five of our favourite must-sees in Malta.
Take your pick of the best beaches in Portugal, spanning more than 500 miles of the Portuguese coastline.
Holidays are back but not quite as we know them. Here's a quick guide to what to expect when travelling to and from green list countries.
28 February 2020
From tulip-filled trips to rose-tinged rests, these destinations are the perfect way to see in the new season.
04 January 2021
Join us on a journey to Ancient Greece to discover more about history's most revered statue.
Head north for a light show like no other. Discover how you can see the Northern Lights for yourself.
Discover more about the magnificent waterfall perched on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe.
10 December 2020
Don't sleep on the world's most impressive dormant volcano.
A destination that stands head and shoulders above the rest.
19 November 2020
Take a tour of one of South America's most captivating natural landscapes.
Discover the hidden depths of the world's most recognisable desert gorge.