By IANS
Melbourne : People suffering from a common hereditary blood disorder may develop liver cancer, disease of the joints and other complications if left untreated for a long period, Australian scientists said.
The disorder known as hemochromatosis causes the body to absorb up to three times the normal amount of iron in the blood. Early symptoms of the disease include fatigue, weakness, weight loss, abdominal pain and joint pain.
According to the researchers at Melbourne’s Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, if the condition is left untreated 28.4 percent of men will develop related ailments, health portal News Medical reported.
The researchers studied 1,438 men and women for an average of 12 years. They found that 108 women and 95 men inherited a defective gene known as HFE from both parents making them susceptible to absorbing too much iron from food, potentially leading to iron overload.
The scientists found that of the men with an inherited predisposition for hemochromatosis, almost three in 10 had excessive iron in their tissues and organs, which led to diseases including liver cancer and arthritis.
Of women with the disorder, 1.2 percent had documented iron overload and associated ailments, the scientists said.
The researchers suggest that women may have fewer complications than men because of the blood and iron lost during menstruation and pregnancy and their slower rate of iron accumulation.
The scientists said sufferers could expect a normal life span if they started treatment before organ damage began.