US FDA clears Affymetrix cancer gene test

WASHINGTON, July 31 (Reuters) - U.S. regulators on Thursday approved a genetic test made by Affymetrix Inc (AFFX.O) that may help identify deadly types of cancer cells.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said it cleared for sale the test, which compares the genes of a patient's tumor with genetic information associated with malignancy in a database.

The test looks for bladder, breast, and colorectal cancer tumors, among others. (Reporting by Kim Dixon, editing by Gerald E. McCormick)