The US Food and Drug Administration announced Tuesday it approved a new test for aggressive breast cancer called the SPOT-Light test by Invitrogen Corp. of Carlsbad, Calif.

The test measures the number of copies of the HER2 gene in tumour issue. A packet of 20 test kits will cost $1,400. Patients who suffer from this form of cancer known as HER-2-positive breast cancer are treated with the drugs Herceptin by Genetech Inc., or GlaxoSmithKline’s Tykerb.  The tumour cells overproduce a protein called HER2.   

“When used with other clinical information and laboratory tests, this test can provide health care professionals with additional insight on treatment decisions for patients with breast cancer,” Dr. Daniel Schultz, director of the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health, said in a statement, according to Reuters.

About 20,000 people die of cancer every day worldwide. Cancer also is increasing in developing countries as people embrace habits linked to cancer such as smoking and fattier diets.

Among women, the three most common cancers are lung, breast and colorectal in developed countries and breast, cervical and stomach cancer in developing countries.

Among men, the three most commonly diagnosed cancers are prostate, lung and colorectal cancer in developed countries and lung, stomach and liver cancer in developing countries.

About 182,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year and 40,000 will die from it according to the American Cancer Society.