Study could form the basis of blood testing for people at high risk of breast cancer

(Emily Henderson/ News Medical Net) –– Researchers have found changes in the levels of particular proteins in people’s blood up to two years before they were diagnosed with breast cancer.

The study, presented today (Wednesday) at the 13^th European Breast Cancer Conference, could form the basis of blood testing for people with a genetic predisposition or a family history of breast cancer to ensure the disease is diagnosed early when the chances of survival are greatest.

The findings, presented by Ms Sophie Hagenaars from Leiden University Medical Center in The Netherlands, are from the Trial Early Serum Test Breast cancer (TESTBREAST) study.

The TESTBREAST study was initiated in 2011 by Professor Rob Tollenaar and Dr Wilma Mesker, and currently includes 1174 women who are at a high risk of breast cancer, due to their family history or because they carry gene variants that are known to raise their breast cancer risk. (…)