A new study to detect an elevated rate of mutations in a gene on the X chromosome holds promise for developing a test that could identify individuals at risk for developing cancer. In the study, led by David J. Araten, M.D., Assistant Professor in the Department of Hematology at NYU School of Medicine, the rate of mutations in the gene, called PIG-A, was significantly higher in individuals born with defects in the cellular machinery to repair DNA compared to people without these genetic conditions. The study is published in the September 15 issue of Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.
