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New Study Isolates 5 Breast Cancer Genes

by Kristen King on May 29th, 2007

A UK-based international study recently published in the journal Nature reports that scientists have isolated five parts of the genome that are associated with increased breast cancer incidence in women. The good news is that these genes contribute to approximately 25% of inherited breast cancer, so detecting it earlier may be possible for that quarter of the breast cancer population. The bad news is that 75% of inherited breast cancer cases come from somewhere else.

Although genetic advances are good news, your best bet is to continue living a healthy lifestyle with diet and exercise geared toward keeping you safe from cancer and other diseases, and to stay on top of your health care. That means regular breast self-exams and annual visits to the gyno to make sure everything’s working properly. If you take preventive measures and know your body well, you’ll reduce your risk of developing deadly diseases and increase your chances of detecting and treating them early if they crop up.

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POSTED IN: Cancer, Women's Issues