Researchers are investigating whether testing breast milk for circulating tumor DNA could enable earlier detection of breast cancer, potentially improving diagnosis compared to current methods such as blood tests and imaging. The study, led by Dr. Niki Flaum at Christie NHS Foundation Trust, seeks to determine if genetic material present in breast milk can reveal cancer-related changes at an earlier stage.

While breastfeeding is generally associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer, the periods during pregnancy and shortly after childbirth are known to carry an increased risk for the disease. The research team aims to better understand the genetic alterations in breast milk by establishing the Manchester Breast Biofluid Biobank, which will collect samples from women with both typical and elevated risk profiles for breast cancer.

Initial results have shown the presence of unique DNA structures within breast milk samples that may serve as early indicators of cancer development. This approach could offer a novel biomarker detection method to complement or potentially improve upon existing screening techniques.

Breast cancer remains the most common cause of cancer-related death among women aged 35 to 64 in the United Kingdom. Pregnancy-associated breast cancer occurs in approximately one in 3,000 pregnancies and is more prevalent among women who carry BRCA gene mutations, which significantly raise breast cancer risk.

Further research and larger sample collections are needed to validate whether breast milk testing can reliably identify cancer earlier and how this might be integrated into clinical practice. If successful, this method could provide a new avenue for early diagnosis during a critical window of elevated risk.