WARRINGTON Professor Barbara Mawer is at the forefront of research in the battle against breast cancer.

Her findings suggest that spending more time in the sun may help women to resist breast cancer. The sun helps to convert vitamin D in the body into an active form.

Women with the highest levels of this active form were found to respond well to breast cancer treatment.

Barbara's team at Manchester Royal Infirmary found that women who did not do well with treatment were not converting the vitamin to the active form.

Said Barbara: "I am not talking about sunbathing, just being out of doors for half an hour or an hour a day, in the summer, with exposure on hands, face and arms."

Vitamin D from the summer can last through the winter.

"We don't get enough in diet normally for adquate levels," said Barbara. "People who are not able to get out in the sun can take low dose supplements." She warned against large doses, which can be toxic.

Barbara has spent more than 30 years researching vitamin D. Because one of its main effects is growing healthy bones, Barbara has also been involved in researching bone metabolism.

Her work became linked with breast cancer because it can lead to a secondary cancer, spreading to bones.

Barbara said that Vitamin D had been shown to have a new action in controlling growth of cells, in test tube experiments.

Vitamin D-like drugs are being developed which could be available for treatment if effective in trials.

Barbara lives in Thelwall and is leader of the Liberal Democrats on the borough council.

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