Lab21 has released its Decode Breastcancer assay that can be used to predict a woman's lifetime risk of developing breast cancer, compared to the average risk of breast cancer across the population.
Using this data, patients can be identified and referred for more extensive testing if the results indicate they are at an increased risk.
Dr Berwyn Clarke, chief science and development officer at Lab21, said: 'This new test represents a step forward in the ability to predict breast cancer risk in the general population and provides physicians with a clearer understanding of the patient's personal risk of developing this disease.
'It will provide vital information on the 95 per cent of breast cancers that result from the interaction of genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors.
'It can also be used to modulate the risk profile of the early onset inherited forms of breast cancer in women who have tested positive for risk variants in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes.' Decode Breastcancer is a DNA-based reference laboratory test performed using a simple blood sample or cheek swab, ordered by physicians on behalf of their patients.
It integrates new data from discovery and replication studies published in major peer-reviewed journals, involving nearly 100,000 breast cancer patients and healthy volunteers across many populations.
