Genetic variant appears to protect some people against certain blood cancers

Over time, hematopoietic or blood stem cells can quietly acquire mutations that push them to divide just a little more aggressively, creating a larger group of clones in the bone marrow. In a fraction of people with this phenomenon, called clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential — CHIP, for short — these cells can transform into cancers such as leukemia, though most will remain benign.

One possible reason for this variability might lie in a genetic variant that appears to protect against the development of CHIP and its progression into certain blood cancers, according to a study published on Thursday in Science. The work also reveals a potential avenue to develop new therapeutics for the pre-cancerous condition, something that cancer researchers have sought for years.

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