Key Symptoms Linked To Werner Syndrome

Werner syndrome is a condition that causes an affected individual to age prematurely. Patients with this condition can grow as expected until the age where they begin puberty. Following puberty, Werner syndrome patients do not continue to grow as a healthy individual would. An affected individual begins to experience medical problems normally associated with late adulthood by the time they have reached thirty years old. The development of cancer is more likely to occur in individuals with Werner syndrome, including skin and thyroid cancers. An inherited mutation in the WRN gene is known to be the cause of Warner syndrome. Diagnosis of Werner syndrome is made with the use of a physical examination and genetic blood testing. There is no cure for Werner syndrome and treatment centers around symptom management and the prevention of numerous complications, including heart disease and cancer.