Friday, March 7th, 2008
Genetic Marker for Breast Cancer
Researchers have discovered a genetic marker that, if present, indicates a significantly increased risk of developing breast cancer. Women with the variation in their DNA are 1.4 times more likely to develop breast cancer during their lifetimes than women whose genes do not contain the marker. An article describing the work was published this week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
"This newly identified genetic marker will not have any immediate clinical implications or impact on current screening guidelines for familial breast cancer," said Ken Offit, one of the authors of the report. Offit said that rather than pointing to a new test, the findings "are exciting because they point us to new molecular pathways that may be associated with breast cancer.” We'll talk about the work and what it means for women.
Guests
Ken Offit
Chief, Clinical Genetics
Service
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
New York, New York
Related Links
- MSKCC:Researchers Identify New Genetic Marker for Breast Cancer
- Guardian.co.uk:New genetic marker may help breast cancer diagnosis
Segment produced by:Karin Vergoth
Listen:
Friday, March 7th, 2008
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