Dhaka, Sept. 20 -- The loss of the Y chromosome in men's normal tissue may be an early warning sign of cancer, according to a study.

The research, initiated by Dr Dan Theodorescu, a physician-scientist at the University of Arizona Cancer Center, found that Y chromosome loss can create a "preneoplastic field effect", a hidden area of genetic vulnerability in normal tissue that may provide conditions for cancer to develop.

Each cell in men's bodies usually contains one X and one Y chromosome.

The loss of Y is a common genetic change in men as they age, in which an immune cell in the blood loses its Y chromosome.

Previous studies had linked Y chromosome loss in blood cells to a higher risk of disease.

The new research, published in JCI ...