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Gene mutation in breast milk may help diagnose breast cancer

04/04/2011 23:58:00 admin
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Breast milk may be tested to assess the risk of breast cancer, according to a study presented at the American Association for Cancer Research 102nd Annual Meeting 2011.

Kathleen F. Arcaro, Ph.D. of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and colleagues tested breast milk samples from about some 250 women who planned or had a breast biopsy for three genes and then see if there is an association between certain gene mutations and breast cancer.

For the study, the researchers isolated epithelial cells in the breast milk and then isolated DNA to see if methylation, a process that can cause DNA mutations, occurred to the genes.

Of 104 women with low risk lesion, Arcaro et al. found there was no difference in the frequency of methylation of two genes called RASSF1 and GSTP1 of epithelial DNA  from biopsied and non-biopsied breasts.

However, another gene called SFRP1 was more likely to be found in the breast milk from women whose breast was biopsied.

The study suggests that by examining certain genes in the epithelial cells of breast milk, doctors may assess a woman's risk for breast cancer.

It's unknown this non-invasive test could replace the invasive breast biopsy, which by itself can cause injury to the breast.  More research is needed to confirm whether this genetic testing could be used to diagnose breast cancer.

David Liu
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