LONDON (Reuters) - A protein which could potentially suppress the formation of malignant breast tumours in humans has been identified by scientists in the United States and France, Nature journal reported on Wednesday.

The Syk enzyme, a substance which promotes chemical change, is commonly present in normal human breast tissue and benign growth, but is only present at very low levels in a specific type of breast tumour, Susette Mueller of Georgetown University Medical School, Washington, and colleagues said.

Growth in the specific type of tumour--called an invasive tumour--can be suppressed by the reintroduction of Syk into tumour cells, the researchers said, raising the possibility of a new way of treating invasive breast cancer.

``In conclusion, we have shown...that loss of Syk is associated with the acquisition of a malignant breast tumour, and that Syk may act directly as a tumour suppresser, presumably by controlling cell division,'' the scientists said in Nature.

About one in eight women in the United States will develop cancer in their lifetime, according to the U.S. National Cancer Institute.

The researchers were careful to point out that although the Syk discovery was exciting it did not mean a Syk drug would be available next year.

``We don't want to give out false hope,'' Mueller told Reuters.

(From Yahoo)