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Screening may be offered to warn women of disease likelihood

Study says genetic make-up may hold clue to vulnerability.

  • By Rebecca Smith, The Telegraph Group Limited, London 2008
  • Published: 00:07 June 27, 2008
  • Gulf News

London: Women could soon be offered genetic screening to tell them their individual chances of developing breast cancer.

Scientists in Cambridge believe they are close to developing a test that will analyse each woman's genetic make-up and determine whether she is at high or low risk of the disease.

Until now, women have been told they have a one-in-nine chance of developing breast cancer at some point in their lives. Currently, only women with a strong family history are offered genetic tests.

These genes are rare, but for those who have them it means their chance of breast cancer in their lifetime is between 50 per cent and 85 per cent. A study by the University of Cambridge funded by Cancer Research UK has found that a screening test looking at genes that increase the risk is feasible.

The findings are published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Dr Lesley Walker, the director of cancer information at Cancer Research UK, said: "This study marks the potential for a tailor-made approach to screening for breast cancer which could radically change who we target and how we detect early signs of the disease."

This study marks the potential for a tailor-made approach to screening for breast cancer which could radically change who we target and how we detect early signs of the disease."

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