Y Chromosome Loss Could Be the First Sign of Cancer

A University of Arizona study of 1000 tissue samples from 400 men found that the closer tissue is to a tumor, the more Y chromosomes are lost. Mosaic Y loss creates local inflammation and an environment that predisposes cells to cancer, making it a new risk marker.

• 40% of men at 70 and nearly 60% at 90 lose Y chromosomes in some tissues
• Analyzed 1000 tissue samples from 11 organs of 400+ donors
• Y loss is linked to kidney and esophageal cancer, fibrosis and severe COVID
• A gradient of Y loss may help doctors suspect a tumor during biopsy