Mayo Clinic researchers have identified a genetic abnormality associated with colon cancer (also called colorectal cancer, and includes cancer in the colon, rectum and appendix) in younger individuals, i.e., 50 years old and below.

Dr. Boardman and an interdisciplinary group of researchers examined the DNA in blood samples of 114 colon cancer patients 50 years old and younger and 98 people with no history of cancer. They found that the colon cancer patients had abnormal telomeres that were unusually short, particularly for a group of patients considered young for colon cancer: patients in the study were about 15 years younger than the average age of patients with colon cancer. In addition, colon cancer in this younger group affected men more often than women.

As a diagnostic tool, the presence of prematurely short telomeres may alert younger patients of their likelihood of developing cancers. Researchers also indicate these findings could prompt further studies on new treatment strategies such as therapies to reverse premature telomere shortening, stall it or protect the telomeres from destructive influence.

Source: Mayo Clinic