Screening the entire population for breast and ovarian cancer gene mutations, as opposed to just those at high-risk of carrying this mutation, is cost effective and could prevent more ovarian and breast cancers than the current approach, according to research led by Barts Cancer Institute of Queen Mary University of London. The researchers believe that implementing a programme to test all British women over 30 years of age could result in thousands of fewer cases of ovarian and breast cancer; up to 17,000 fewer ovarian cancers and 64,000 fewer breast cancers over a lifetime.
