American Nobel: Screen Women for Cancer-Causing Genetic Mutations

One of this year's five winners of the so-called ‘American Nobels’ in medicine says every woman over the age of 30 needs to be tested for cancer-causing genetic mutations. The Albert and Mary Lasker Foundation’s Award for Special Achievement will go to Dr. Mary-Claire King, who correlated mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes with breast and ovarian cancer. Current guidelines discourage testing, but King says it would cost little and identify 250,000 to 400,000 American women with...

© La Voix de l'Amérique - lundi 8 septembre 2014