Name: Could we detect breast cancer with a fingerprint?
Uploaded: 2025-08-27T14:17:06Z
Duration: 12 min 29 s
Description: Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women globally. And yet, many people pass up opportunities to get screened for the disease, often because of the invasive and sometimes painful process of mammograms. Chemist and professor Simona Francese presents a potentially groundbreaking alternative that could transform how and when we identify this deadly disease.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women globally. And yet, many people pass up opportunities to get screened for the disease, often because of the invasive and sometimes painful process of mammograms. Chemist and professor Simona Francese presents a potentially groundbreaking alternative that could transform how and when we identify this deadly disease.

Could we detect breast cancer with a fingerprint?

A revolutionary screening method uses the molecular patterns in a simple fingerprint to detect breast cancer with nearly 98 percent accuracy. This non-invasive test sidesteps the pain, embarrassment, and accessibility issues that keep many women from traditional mammograms. With breast cancer killing 32 women every day in the UK alone, early detection could save thousands of lives and ease emotional and financial burdens. The technology promises to make screening as easy as a fingertip swipe, even from home.