Dr. Tina Hickey

Patient Advocate; Member of NCCP Survivorship Steering Group; Assoc. Prof. (Emeritus), School of Psychology UCD

The narrative of breast cancer most often seen on TV and in cancer charity advertising tends to portray chemotherapy as an intrinsic part of breast cancer treatment. Yet overall, more than half of recent female breast cancer patients in Ireland did not undergo chemotherapy as part of their treatment (NCRI, 2019), and this group is likely to increase further given medical advances.

I am one of those patients, and here I will explore the psycho-social implications of diverging from the common narrative of breast cancer treatment, and ask how psycho-oncology can be more inclusive of patient groups with diverse illness narratives. Informed by my personal experience of breast cancer, I will first reflect on some emotional responses specific to this treatment path, which include Imposter Syndrome, Survivor’s Guilt and ‘Competitive Cancer’. Then I will consider some support needs specific to this treatment profile, and some shared with other profiles. Finally I will discuss some supports that helped.

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3D mammosphere culture of breast epithelial cell line MCF10A.

Courtesy of Dr. Emer Bourke, NUI Galway

Phospho-Akt expression and localisation

Mediated by VEGF in A549 lung cancer cells. Visualised by high content image analysis.

Courtesy of Dr Martin Barr, Clinical Scientist & Adjunct Assistant Professor, St James’s Hospital & Trinity College Dublin

Metaphase chromosome spread of Jurkat T-lymphoma cells

Courtesy of Rebecca Gorry, PhD Student, Mc Gee Lab, UCD School of Biomolecular & Biomedical Science, Conway Institute, UCD

Apoptosis assessment of SKMES-1 lung cancer cells

Using a multiparameter apoptosis staining kit, showing cell nuclei (blue), actin (green) and mitochondrial activity (orange).

Courtesy of Dr Martin Barr, Clinical Scientist & Adjunct Assistant Professor, St James’s Hospital & Trinity College Dublin

HeLa Cells

Courtesy of Rebecca Gorry, PhD Student, Mc Gee Lab, UCD School of Biomolecular & Biomedical Science, Conway Institute, UCD

IACR & EACR Joint Conference 2020

26 — 28 February 2020 at Galway Bay Hotel, Galway

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Mitotic Chronic Myelogenous Leukaemia K562 Cells

Courtesy of Rebecca Gorry, PhD Student, Mc Gee Lab, UCD School of Biomolecular & Biomedical Science, Conway Institute, UCD

Cell to Cell Tweeting

Via nanoparticles (red) in Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC)

Courtesy of Sinéad Lindsay, UCD Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research, University College Dublin (UCD) Ireland.

Confocal Microscopy Analysis

Of phospho-Akt expression in H460 lung cancer cells in response to hypoxia (0.5% O2).

Courtesy of Dr Martin Barr, Clinical Scientist & Adjunct Assistant Professor, St James’s Hospital & Trinity College Dublin

IACR 2023 Carer’s Bursary €300

Apply for funding towards additional costs of care while attending conference. Five Bursaries Available.

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Registration/ Membership for IACR 2023

Registration for the 59th Annual Conference in the Radisson Blu hotel, Athlone is Now Open.

EACR Membership is Included

The IACR is an affiliated national society and its members benefit from full membership of the EACR.

See EACR Benefits

Biomedical Session Abstracts

Deadline: Midnight, Friday, 20th January 2023

Please note:
- Patrick Johnston Lay submission category is now closed
- Late Breaking Abstracts submitted to the Biomedical Sessions will be considered for Display Poster Presentation.

Social Nursing and Allied Health (SNAH) Abstracts

Deadline: Midnight, Monday, 9th January 2023

SNAH abstract submissions will remain open until Monday 9th January.

Any questions?
Please contact Sinead on: sinead@sineadcassidy.com

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