A new study has found that a genetic variant present in about 30% of Hispanic and Latino children in the U.S. increases their risk of developing a type of blood cancer called acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) by around 1.4 times. The variant is very rare in children of mostly European ancestry.
The research, led by Dr. Adam de Smith from the University of Southern California, helps explain why Hispanic and Latino children are 30-40% more likely to get ALL compared to non-Hispanic white children.
By analyzing genetic data from nearly 10,000 Hispanic children, over 1,000 non-Hispanic white children, and 300 East Asian children, the scientists pinpointed three genetic markers associated with a higher chance of developing ALL. One of these markers was the variant that is much more common in Hispanic populations.
The study highlights the importance of including people from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds in genetic studies. This can help researchers better understand the biological reasons behind health disparities and find ways to address them.
Funded in part by the National Institutes of Health, the findings were published in the journal Cell Genomics. The authors hope their work will ultimately lead to improved prevention and treatment strategies to reduce the burden of childhood leukemia in Hispanic and Latino communities.
See “USC researchers find genetic variant contributing to disparities in childhood leukemia risk” by Zara Abrams on the USC Keck School of Medicine website (March 26, 2024)
