Scientists find genes linked to higher breast cancer risk

SCIENTISTS have made a massive leap towards identifying the roots of hereditary breast cancer after a groundbreaking study picked up new genes that can increase the risk of the disease.

Until now, it was not known which genes cause 75% of inherited breast cancer, which affects thousands of Irish women every year. However, a Cambridge-based study, published online in Nature, found four genes that can increase a woman’s chances of developing the disease.

They have never previously been linked to inherited breast cancer and are responsible for another 4% of inherited cases, equating to between 88 and 176 women a year.