SCIENTISTS have found a genetic variation which makes some women seven times more vulnerable than others to cervical cancer. Those at risk have a particular version of the anti-tumour gene p53, damage to which is implicated in 50% of cancer cases. The discovery at St Bartholomew's and Royal London School of Medicine and Dentistry could lead to screening techniques capable of identifying women at risk even before the precursory changes currently picked up by cervical smear tests.
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