Breast Cancer Actually Ten Separate Diseases, Landmark Study Finds

What we currently refer to as breast cancer is not one, but 10 distinct conditions, a new study explains.

Described by the BBC and others as “landmark,” the study goes well past semantics to detail how such a distinction is important in tailoring drugs and treatment for breast cancer based on the type of cancer it is known to be. The study was published in the journal Nature, and its findings could be implemented in breast cancer treatment within about three years.

The news site quotes Professor Carlos Caldas, who is lead researcher on the groundbreaking study. Caldas explains how precision can improve treatment strategies and survival rates for the breast cancer patients:

“Breast cancer is not one disease, but 10 different diseases… Our results will pave the way for doctors in the future to diagnose the type of breast cancer a woman has, the types of drugs that will work and those that won’t, in a much more precise way than is currently possible.”

2,000 women suffering from breast cancer in the US and Canada were included in the study.

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Tags: Breast Cancer, cancer

About the Author

Kim LaCapria Kim LaCapria is a writer and editor based in New York. A longtime information junkie, she began blogging full-time at the Inquisitr in 2009. Prior to that, she worked as a marketing assistant in the cosmetics and skincare industry. In addition to her writing for fortytwotimes, she also writes for Medacity and The Inquisitr. Kim is also a contributor for SocialNewsDaily, Indyposted, and TotallyMoney. In the past, she contributed to Lipstick and Luxury and managed social media accounts and blogs for several small and mid-sized businesses.