Researchers Identify Gene Mutations Linked to Blood Cancer Risk

NEW YORK) — Researchers at Harvard Medical School said that as many as ten percent of adults over the age of 65 may have a gene mutation linked to the development of blood cancers.

According to the study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers looked at two groups including a total of 29,000 patients. Patients with that particular set of gene abnormalities had a significantly increased likelihood of cancer — an increase of 11 to 13 percent.

Researchers say it is too early to test for the mutations on a large scale, as there is no perfect treatment for those with the mutation. The mutations are tougher to identify in younger individuals, researchers say.