Advertisement

GPs test 'game changer' online calculator for breast cancer risk

A new way of analysing risk factors for breast cancer could soon be available in GP surgeries to help predict those most at risk from the disease.

According to a study by cancer Research UK, the new method takes into account more than 300 genetic indicators for breast cancer, as well as information on family history, weight, age at menopause, alcohol consumption and use of hormone replacement therapy.

Combining all the factors has allowed researchers to create an online calculator, currently being tested by some GPs, practice nurses and genetic counsellors.

It is hoped it will allow doctors to tailor screening for specific individuals depending on risk. For example it could indicate when a patient should be first called for screening and how often.

It could also help in decisions about preventative therapy, such as identifying those at high risk who may benefit from taking the drug tamoxifen.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK with 55,000 women diagnosed each year. It is much rarer in men.

Professor Antonis Antoniou, lead author at the University of Cambridge, said: "This is the first time that anyone has combined so many elements into one breast cancer prediction tool.

"It could be a game changer for breast cancer because now we can identify large numbers of women with different levels of risk - not just women who are at high risk.

"This should help doctors to tailor the care they provide depending on their patients' level of risk. For example, some women may need additional appointments with their doctor to discuss screening or prevention options and others may just need advice on their lifestyle and diet.

"We hope this means more people can be diagnosed early and survive their disease for longer, but more research and trials are needed before we will fully understand how this could be used."

If the results of the current trials are encouraging it is hoped the risk calculator could be made available across the UK.

Dr Richard Roope, Cancer Research UK's GP expert, said: "Research like this is hugely exciting because in the future it will enable us to offer much more tailored care which will benefit patients and make best use of the services that we have available.

"Although having an increased risk of breast cancer means a woman is more likely to develop the disease - it's by no means a certainty.

"A woman at high risk may never get breast cancer just as a woman at low risk still could. But any woman with concerns should speak to her GP to discuss the options."