"In doing so, it could also help unravel how these genetic variants are associated with breast cancer risk. This is the beginning of a new research focus on how cancers begin and the role mammographic density plays."

The research was conducted in collaboration with BreastScreen services across Australia, the Australian Twin Registry and the Cancer Council Victoria, and supported by the National Breast Cancer Foundation, Cancer Australia, the Victorian Breast Cancer Research Consortium and the National Health and Medical Research Council.

"This work also builds on long term collaborations with Professor Norman Boyd of the Campbell Family Institute for Breast Cancer Research and Dr Martin Yaffe from the Sunnybrook Hospital, both in Toronto, Canada," Professor Hopper says.

The researchers will now undertake a pooled international study to identify more genetic variants that are linked to mammographic density and breast cancer

Currently, BreastScreen Victoria recommends women aged 50 to 69 years have a screening mammogram every two years.

Source: University of Melbourne