Breast Milk Helps Detect Cancer Risk

The U.S. scientists have found that special molecules that a woman’s breast milk contains may help determine how high the risk of cancer for this particular woman is.

According to the experts from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, who have conducted this research, the breast milk contains genes which may be associated with the risk of transmitting hereditary breast cancer. Furthermore, this method of analysis is among the simplest and cheapest ones.

The experiment involved 250 women who gave samples of breast milk. The scientists studied its DNA molecules to determine whether there were any changes in the genes. In addition, all the participants of the experiment were biopsied so that the tumor, if any, could be undoubtedly identified. As it eventually turned out, the women whose biopsy results were positive had certain components in their breast milk which would help identify symptoms of cancer.

The specialists point out that this method of diagnosis may be one of the most effective non-invasive methods of determining breast cancer of all currently known. For example, the widespread mammography, which is regularly recommended to all ladies of mature age, is not effective for diagnozing young women who have not reached their menopause, especially if they are breastfeeding the child. As a result, tumor is sometimes difficult to find when using traditional methods.

Source of the image: Photl.