Simple test for breast cancer

At present mammography is the usual way to test for breast cancer

Scientists have developed a simple pin prick test for breast cancer.

The test could help women who are most at risk of developing the disease decide whether to take preventative drugs or undergo preventative surgery.

A team from University of Kansas Medical Centre tested 480 women who were considered at high risk of breast cancer, either because of a family history of the disease or because a biopsy had already revealed cancerous or precancerous cells.

The decisions facing women at high risk of breast cancer are very difficult and personal ones

Delyth Morgan, Breakthrough Breast Cancer

Each women had between eight and 10 procedures called fine-needle aspiration, in which a needle takes a few cells from around the nipples. The procedure is almost painless.

Pathologists looked at the cells and classified them as normal or as starting to clump up and look precancerous.

Researcher Professor Bruce Kimler said the tests predicted fairly well who would develop breast cancer over the next four years.

In total, 102 women had cells that looked precancerous. Of these, 17 developed breast cancer.

Just three other women whose cells appeared to be relatively normal went on to develop the disease.

Similar to cervical smear

Professor Kimler said the test was similar to the Pap smear, which is used to detect the early signs of cervical cancer.

He said: "We are not selling this as the next Pap smear.

"But we think it's a very useful tool in a research trial setting."

Delyth Morgan, chief executive of the charity Breakthrough Breast Cancer, said the research was interesting - but much more work was needed to evaluate its worth.

She told BBC News Online: "Only between 5% and 10% of breast cancers are due to hereditary factors.

"The decisions facing women at high risk of breast cancer are very difficult and personal ones. We must ensure that they have as much information as possible so that these decisions are informed."

Ms Morgan said that following the identification of two key genes in the last decade (BRCA1 and BRCA2) genetic testing could now pinpoint whether a woman may be at high risk of developing breast cancer.

A positive result for either of the BRCA genes means an 80% lifetime risk of developing the disease - with much of that risk arriving later in life.

Scientists are unable to say exactly when a woman will develop breast cancer, so a woman who tests positive in her 40s for either of the mutations could easily have 20 more years without problems.

This could influence whether a younger woman chooses to have one or both breasts removed to prevent the disease, or to take medication such as Tamoxifen which may have pronounced side-effects.

Professor Kimler's team are using their method to select women for a clinical trial of a breast cancer drug called DFMO.

The drug is designed to stop the uncontrolled proliferation of cells that precedes cancer.

At present, Tamoxifen is the only drug proven to prevent breast cancer.

A spokeswoman for the Cancer Research Campaign said further study was needed.

"We would be concerned that the test could mean that some women underwent mastectomies unnecessarily."