Researchers have discovered that variants in XRCC5, a DNA repair gene, are associated with greater blood clot risk during thalidomide (Thalomid) therapy. Although researchers remain unsure of the precise mechanism underlying XRCC5’s contribution to clot formation, they hope that genetic screening could one day identify high-risk patients requiring more intensive preventative intervention.

Blood clots, in particular deep vein thrombosis – which is a clot within the deep veins of the body – can be a serious and potentially fatal condition. When clots form in blood vessels, they block blood flow and …