Breast cancer blood test gives women hope for early warning

Breast cancer cell: research has identified a molecular “switch” in blood samples that is linked to an increased likelihood of developing the disease
Breast cancer cell: research has identified a molecular “switch” in blood samples that is linked to an increased likelihood of developing the disease

A simple blood test could offer women an early warning of breast cancer even if they have not inherited genes linked to the disease, say scientists.

Research has identified a molecular “switch” in blood samples that is linked to an increased likelihood of developing the disease.

The marker is associated with the BRCA1 breast cancer gene. About 10 per cent of breast cancers are caused by the gene variants BRCA1 and BRCA2, which are inherited from parents. However, this meant that breast cancer could not be predicted in the remaining 90 per cent of women who had not inherited the gene mutation.

Now, scientists say they have discovered the “switch” in women who had not inherited the mutation but still went on to develop the