Researchers have discovered additional information on what causes some people to get leukemia. Scientists now know of 10 genetic variants associated with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), scientists at Europe's Institute of Cancer Research who conducted the study said. The four new genes are common among people with (CLL).
This finding is quite essential because (CLL) is one of four main types of leukemia. About 15,490 new cases of CLL were diagnosed in 2009. It is estimated that 85,710 people in the United States are living with or are in remission from CLL. In recent years, new therapies have been approved and other possible new treatments are being studied in clinical trials. Progress toward a cure is under way, however, a cure has has not been achieved. Richard Houlston, who led the study, said it confirmed the inherited risk of CLL, and showed it was not due to a single gene due to the cumulative effect of many genetic changes. Those who get the disease may have some or all of the genes. The more of the genes an individual has the higher the chances of developing the disease. Up to this point, doctors could not say what caused the cell-change that leads to CLL. There is no way to prevent CLL, and it was not contagious. Houlston says now they believe that, "People who have more than 13 risk factors are seven times more likely than the general population to develop CLL." According to Reuters, the risk factors were identified using a genetic analysis technique that scientists have used previously to find risk genes in breast, prostate, testes, brain and colon cancer and childhood leukemia. The researchers scanned the genes of 2,503 CLL patients and compared them to 5,789 healthy people, looking for differences in DNA between the two groups. Researchers says that those with CLL have at least one of the genetic risks. David Grant, scientific director of the Leukemia Research charity which funded the study, said it confirmed some long-held suspicions that this form of leukemia may run in families. Researchers say they will have to research more families to discover which genes are most important.About the Author:
Lenneice A. Drew is an experienced journalist currently focused on healthcare reform . She is working to help others achieve better lives by finding affordable health insurance alternatives and reporting stories related to the healthcare industry. She lives in Miami, Florida.
