Torbay Hospital has become the first site in the UK to begin a major new clinical trial that could revolutionise treatment for thousands of breast cancer patients.

The Trans-EndoNET study investigates whether a patient’s insulin levels affect how well they respond to hormone therapy. Researchers believe that metabolic health, specifically insulin resistance, may play a critical role in the effectiveness of standard cancer treatments.

The study focuses on Estrogen Receptor-Positive, HER2-Negative (ER+HER2-) breast cancer. This is the most common form of the disease, accounting for approximately 70% of all cases, particularly in post-menopausal women.

Currently, patients with this type of cancer are treated with aromatase inhibitors, which work by lowering oestrogen levels to prevent cancer growth. However, medical experts are now questioning if high insulin levels — common in the one-third of adults over 50 who have metabolic syndrome — might be hindering these life-saving drugs.

“If insulin resistance reduces the efficacy of these medications, it is an important clinical question to answer,” said Louise Merker, Consultant Oncoplastic and Reconstructive Surgeon at Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust.

While Torbay is the first to open the study, 31 other hospitals across the UK are expected to join the recruitment drive in the coming months. The research is being led by the University of Oxford and funded by a partnership between the Medical Research Council and the National Institute for Health and Care Research.

Dr Simon Lord, Director of Oxford Cancer Trials, noted that the study provides the essential evidence needed to inform these future "dietary or drug-based interventions".

For the 292,000 residents served by the Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, this UK-first puts local patients at the very front of the queue for tomorrow's cures.