Dr Simon Vincent, director of research, support and influencing at Breast Cancer Now, said:
“The best weapon we could have against breast cancer is the ability to stop it occurring in the first place.
"This research, which used tissue samples from Breast Cancer Now's Tissue Bank*, suggests that we could prevent some women with altered genes from developing the disease by using drugs currently approved for treatment in the late stages of breast cancer.
“While further research is needed and clinical trials in humans are yet to take place, these findings could be a significant step forward in our care and treatment of people whose genes mean they have an increased risk of developing breast cancer.
“Anyone affected by breast cancer can speak to Breast Cancer Now’s expert nurses by calling our free helpline on 0808 800 6000 for information and support.”
ENDS
*The Breast Cancer Now Tissue Bank opened to researchers worldwide in 2012. We currently have more than 129,000 samples from almost 10,000 patients available to researchers.