Definition of BASE breast cancer gene

BASE breast cancer gene: A breast cancer gene first reported in 2003 that encodes a protein secreted only by breast cancer and salivary gland cells. Hence the name, BASE (Breast cancer And Salivary gland Expression). The normal breast makes very little, if any, of the BASE protein whereas certain kinds of breast cancers produce quite a lot of it. Determining the levels of BASE in the blood may be of use in screening for breast cancer and for following a patient's progress on breast cancer treatment.