Phoenix, Arizona (NAPSI) - When it comes to health care, big things are happening at the smallest level. That’s the word from experts who say that medical tests known as molecular diagnostics represent one of the most important steps in medicine in the last century.

Molecular diagnostics are tests that detect specific genetic sequences and proteins to help doctors make individualized and thus more effective medical decisions for patients, according to the experts at the Society for Women’s Health Research.

For example, statistics show that one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime, making it almost as dangerous as heart disease.

Now, thanks to molecular diagnostics, a simple blood test can detect certain gene mutations, enabling physicians to understand future risk for breast cancer. And, in cases of metastatic breast cancer, they can determine how patients will respond to a personal treatment plan.

To learn more about molecular diagnostics, visit www.SWHR.org.