Damaged Gene Doubles Risk of Breast Cancer
From Times Staff and Wire Reports
Scientists have discovered a genetic change that doubles the risk of breast cancer, a finding that may lead to better treatment of the disease.
British researchers screened 433 patients who had a family history of cancer and a control group of 521 women. A damaged gene called ATM, carried by about 2% of all families, more than doubled the risk for breast cancer by age 70, the scientists said Monday in the journal Nature Genetics. The gene repairs damaged DNA.
