Genetic cancer link discovered (From Salisbury Journal)

Genetic cancer link discovered

7:40am Tuesday 17th March 2009 in

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SCIENTISTS at the Wessex regional genetics laboratory at Salisbury District Hospital have found a genetic link to blood cancers.

The research, which was carried out in conjunction with the University of Southampton and funded by Leukaemia Research, has shown that susceptibility to a series of blood cancers is linked to a particular area of the patient’s DNA, which is prone to developing mutations.

Professor Nick Cross, director of the laboratory, said: “This is a very important step forward in our knowledge.

"It helps us to understand why some people might be predisposed to acquiring genetic mutations that lead to cancers."