Today

Women with asymmetrical breasts may be at greater risk from breast cancer, a new study has suggested.

Researchers at the University of Liverpool studied the mammograms of 252 women who went on to develop the disease with a further 252 women who stayed healthy.

They found that the odds of developing breast cancer grew by 1.5 with each 100ml increase in breast asymmetry.

The research team said that breast asymmetry is a significant independent predictor of breast cancer and could be a reliable indicator of future breast disease.

But Dr Sarah Rawlings, of Breakthrough Breast Cancer, cautioned the findings.

Dr Sarah Rawlings, Breakthrough Breast Cancer: "It's too early to say whether breast asymmetry - having one breast larger than the other - is a predictor of breast cancer risk."

She said: "This is a very small study and further research is needed before any conclusions can be drawn.

"It's too early to say whether breast asymmetry - having one breast larger than the other - is a predictor of breast cancer risk.

"Other factors, such as starting periods early, may have had an influence and were present more often in those women who went on to develop breast cancer in this study."

The study is published in the journal Breast Cancer Research.

Research conducted by Imaginis shows that breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in women (after lung cancer) worldwide and is the most common type of cancer found among women in the world.

According to figures from the World Health Organization, around 1.2 million women worldwide were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005.

Earlier detection and better treatments have improved mortality rates in recent years.

The majority of breast cancers will be treated with surgery to remove the tumour.