Leukaemia is a type of blood cancer. It is a relatively common type of cancer, which usually occurs later in life. It can be difficult to treat if it remains undiagnosed for a longer time. Now scientists at the Universities of Edinburgh and Glasgow say that a blood test could predict risk of developing leukaemia later in life.
Smear of a leukaemia sample. The success of the treatment for leukaemia depends a lot on how early it is started. Image credit: leukaemia via Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Cancer occurs due to mutations in blood cells. This happens when cells divide and new cells emerge to replace the aged ones. As we get older, this process repeats more and more times so there are more opportunities for errors to occur and for mutations to take place. These mutations are not a big deal, because the body deals with them accordingly. However, these altered blood cells can have a growth benefit over healthy blood cells and then they can start dividing uncontrollably causing blood cancer. Currently there is no reliable way to predict the risk of blood cancer or somehow prepare for it preemptively.
Researchers analysed changes in the blood samples of 83 older individuals taken every three years over a 12-year period. Scientists used a variety of methods to improve their understanding of those changes and what they mean for the longitudinal health of a person.
Researchers combined complex genomic data with a machine-learning algorithm to link different mutations with different growth speeds of blood stem cells carrying risky mutations. Scientists found that some mutations have advantages in people who later develop leukaemia. This is especially clear when comparing those distinct fitness advantages to stem cells measured in people without leukaemia.
Scientists believe that this information could lead to a blood test, which would be able to forecast how quickly the mutated cells will grow and what is the risk of leukaemia. Dr Kristina Kirschner, co-lead author of the study, said: “In knowing an individual patient’s risk of developing leukaemia, clinicians can schedule shorter gaps between appointments in those most likely to develop the disease and provide early treatment, which is more likely to be successful”.
It is interesting that AI was used to link genomic data with future outcomes of blood cell division. Scientists believe that in order to understand leukaemia risk it is important to consider the balance between the different cells involved in blood cell production and how this balance changes as we grow older.
Eventually this knowledge would translate to relatively simple blood tests and prevention measures that can be taken extremely early to prevent leukaemia or its worst outcomes. But that is still many studies away.
Source: University of Glasgow