Early warning tool for breast cancer prediction in SE Asian women

A researcher at The University of Nottingham Malaysia is collaborating with scientists at Cancer Research Malaysia , Singapore and the United Kingdom to develop a new early warning tool that could help to predict which women in South East Asia are most at risk of developing breast cancer. The work of Dr Weang Kee Ho in the University's Department of Applied Mathematics could help to find out whether it is possible to target expensive mammographic screening at women who are most likely to be affected, enabling doctors to detect the disease in its early stages when it is most treatable. Dr Ho, who is a collaborating scientist with Cancer Research Malaysia said: "In South East Asia we have a very low breast cancer survival rate at five years after diagnosis, which can simply be put down to late stage presentation. However, breast cancer is a curable disease if detected early and this tool could potentially save lives through early detection by a more tailored approach to screening." In Malaysia, around 1 in 19 women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime. In Asia, the incidence of breast cancer is expected to increase by up to 50 per cent between 2012 and 2025 and, because women are often diagnosed with advanced disease, the five-year survival in some Asian countries is just 49 per cent compared to 89 per cent in Western countries. Screening and prevention. Screening is effective in catching the disease at an early stage but a lack of resources means that countries like Malaysia cannot afford to screen every woman.