Preliminary research data suggests that breast cancer is associated with a recently-discovered endogenous retrovirus. This type of virus is passed from parent to child in the same way as genes are inherited by the child. The virus is called Human Mammary Tumor Virus, or HMTV.

HMTV was discovered at Tulane University Medical School. Autoimmune Technologies is developing susceptibility tests and exploring the development of diagnostic tests for breast cancer using the HMTV technology under a license from Tulane.

These tests are still in the laboratory stage and are not yet generally available for investigational or clinical use.

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