A new genetic test could help doctors pick out patients with the bone marrow cancer multiple myeloma who are at ‘ultra high risk’ of their cancer progressing aggressively early on.

Assessing DNA for areas of the genome linked to cancer risk could pick out some people with a three-fold increased risk of blood cancer, a new study suggests.

Researchers have revealed 40 genes involved in the development of myeloma, increasing our understanding of the complex genetics behind the incurable blood cancer.