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Health


There’s a New Over-the-Counter Test for Breast Cancer Risk

by (WMFE)
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A new test can predict breast cancer risk. Photo: Flickr Creative Commons

A new test can predict breast cancer risk. Photo: Flickr Creative Commons


The Food and Drug Administration has approved the first at-home cancer risk test and it’s made by 23andMe. It works like the company’s popular ancestry test, analyzing DNA collected from spitting in a tube.

The test predicts breast cancer risk by screening for three mutations in the BRCA gene. An oncologist at Florida Hospital says these mutations are uncommon in the general population, which means that even if it comes back negative, it doesn’t mean a person won’t develop the disease.

The FDA warns the test should not replace standard cancer screenings and genetic counseling.

If you’d like to listen to the full story, click on the clip above.


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Danielle Prieur

About Danielle Prieur

Reporter and Substitute Host

Danielle Prieur is a general assignment reporter at WMFE. You can hear her reporting on a daily basis on the station. She also fills-in as a host on Morning Edition and All Things Considered. Danielle is originally from Rochester Hills, Michigan and is a graduate of both the University of Michigan and Northwestern ... Read Full Bio »

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