A breakthrough in diagnosis of breast cancer could save thousands of women from enduring unnecessary mastectomies and radiotherapy, researchers have said.
Up to 5,000 women a year are diagnosed with early signs of the disease but until now doctors have been unable to distinguish between the cases which will become dangerous, and those which do not need treatment.
Scientists say they have made a “huge step forward” in developing a simple test, which could free half such women from undergoing needless surgery and gruelling sessions of radiotherapy and hormone therapy.
There has been growing concern that routine screening for women aged between 50 and 70 has resulted in thousands of women having unnecessary treatment.
Without treatment, which can involve surgery, full mastectomies, radiotherapy and hormone therapy, half are likely to develop invasive breast cancer - but until now doctors have been unable to accurately identify which of the patients will do so.
The new study by Barts Cancer Institute, at Queen Mary University of London, has identified a molecule which is commonly present in around half of the cases, and also found in almost all cases of invasive cancer.
The molecule - αvβ6 - was rarely found in healthy breast tissue.
Baroness Delyth Morgan, Chief Executive of Breast Cancer Campaign, which funded the study, said in future, simple tests for the compound could save women from “agonising” dilemmnas and enduring traumatic treatment which could have been avoided.
More on this story here.
Eddie
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