Breastmilk might offer clues about a woman's cancer risk, according to a recent research.

Early detection of breast cancer is important for successful treatment and long-term survival, but current screening methods such as mammography are not well-suited for young women. To address this gap, researchers at Clarkson University and the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, are investigating biochemical signatures of breast cancer that are detectable in breastmilk.

Comparing breast milk samples from women with breast cancer, women without breast cancer and women who were later diagnosed with breast cancer, the team identified alterations in protein expression in breastmilk when a woman has or will soon develop breast cancer, which might be due to cancer risk or development. After further validation, the method could offer a new, noninvasive approach to breast cancer screening for women in their childbearing years. Roshanak Aslebagh will present this research at the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology annual meeting on April 25.