A team of researchers at Queensland Institute of Medical Research has been able to discover a gene alteration, which has been held responsible for the occurrence of Lynch Syndrome. Lynch Syndrome is a type of bowel cancer, which is genetically inherited and accounts for 5% of bowel cancer cases.

Dr. Daniel Buchanan from the institute's Cancer and Population Studies Group asserted that the findings of the study had a significant repercussion for family members of a patient who has been diagnosed of the syndrome.

He emphasized that if one person in the family is already carrying the specific mutation, then the others can be underwent a blood test, to examine whether or not they are carrying the gene mutation.

And if another person is administered to be carrying the mutation, then they can be subjected to proper treatment, which can help further development of the cancer.

Dr. Buchanan highlighted that the person can be subjected to more intensive clinical supervision, and can more often undergo colonoscopy screening.

Moreover, National Bowel Screening Program has helped increase the survival rates. Cancer Council CEO Professor Ian Olver said, “The results showed screening could save 30 lives a week and validated the government’s allocation of an extra $50 million to the screening program in the 1912-13 budget”.