Mutations causing leukaemia exist in most elderly

At least two percent of people over age 40 and five percent of people over 70 have mutations linked to leukaemia and lymphoma in their blood cells, according to research at the Washington University S

By: Editorial Team | | Published: October 20, 2014 7:06 pm

At least two percent of people over age 40 and five percent of people over 70 have mutations linked to leukaemia and lymphoma in their blood cells, according to research at the Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis. Mutations in the body’s cells randomly accumulate as part of the ageing process, and most are harmless. For some people, genetic changes in blood cells can develop in genes that play roles in initiating leukaemia and lymphoma – types of blood cancer, the researchers found.

However, the findings, based on blood samples from nearly 3,000 patients, do not mean that people with these genetic mutations are destined to develop a blood cancer, the researchers said. In fact, the vast majority of them would not as the incidence of blood cancers such as leukaemia or lymphoma is less than 0.1 percent among the elderly. (Read: Rare chromosome fusion ups leukemia risk)

‘We do not yet know whether having one of these mutations causes a higher than normal risk of developing blood cancers,’ said senior author Li Ding from The Genome Institute at the Washington University. ‘But it is quite striking how many people over age 70 have these mutations,’ Ding added. The researchers analysed blood samples from people enrolled in The Cancer Genome Atlas project, a massive endeavour funded by the National Cancer Institute and the National Human Genome Research Institute at the National Institutes of Health. (Read: Cancer terms: Leukaemia to Oncology)

The patients whose blood was analysed for the current study had been diagnosed with cancer but were not known to have leukaemia or lymphoma. The findings appeared in the journal Nature Medicine.

What is leukaemia?

White blood cells (leukocytes) form part of the body’s immune system and help defend the body against infection. Cancer of these blood cells is known as leukaemia, commonly called ‘blood cancer’. Based on the type of white blood cells that are affected and the rate at which they develop leukaemia is classified as acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) and chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL). CML is the commonest adult leukaemia in India.

Genes, diet, hormones, exposure to high levels of radiation or chemicals such as benzene, chemotherapy drugs (to treat another cancer), pre-existing blood disorders and smoking could act as risk factors. Children with chromosomal abnormalities (Down’s syndrome, Fanconi’s anaemia) have also been reported to be at a higher risk of developing leukaemia.

Leukaemia usually does not present with any symptoms at first and may be diagnosed by chance during a blood test. Lymph node biopsy in acute leukaemia establishes how far the leukaemia has spread. Acute leukaemia requires immediate treatment because it progresses rapidly and aggressively. Chronic leukaemia progresses slowly over the course of many years. The most effective method of treating leukaemia is chemotherapy. Read more about Leukaemia – the blood cancer

With inputs from IANS

Photo source: Getty images

Published : October 20, 2014 7:06 pm

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