Breast milk testing could enable earlier cancer diagnosis

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 3 Oct, 08:54 · Archive

Researchers are examining whether circulating tumour DNA in breast milk could identify breast cancer earlier than existing methods.

Researchers at the University of Manchester are examining whether circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) found in breast milk could identify breast cancer earlier than conventional methods such as blood tests or scans. This represents a potential breakthrough for early cancer detection.

Breastfeeding is known to lower the long-term risk of breast cancer in women, though the risk is elevated during pregnancy and after giving birth. The new research could help identify cases in these high-risk periods more quickly than existing diagnostic approaches.

Breast milk testing could enable earlier cancer diagnosis — Image: The Mirror

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How it is being reported

Milk test may lead to earlier breast cancer diagnosis, researchers sayThe Mirror · 3 Oct, 08:41
Experts believe testing breast milk could lead to early diagnosis of breast cancerThe Independent · 3 Oct, 00:01

In this story: University of Manchester

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