A genomic study revealed that patients treated with chemotherapy display elevated somatic mutations and blood cell changes similar to those seen in older adults. Researchers analyzed blood genomes from 23 patients aged 3 to 80, comparing them to healthy individuals. The study found that 17 of the patients had higher-than-expected somatic mutation levels, with distinct signatures associated with specific chemotherapy agents. These findings indicate that chemotherapy may accelerate hematopoietic aging and alter blood cell development, providing insights into the long-term genomic effects on healthy tissues.

Source: Nature Genetics