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[ihatesnow]

http://scitechdaily....arious-cancers/

[hav]

Good find! Lots of interesting stuff in the full-text, like this:

For rs2736108, the most significant SNP in promoter Peak 1, the minor allele is associated with a 1.7%-fold increase in telomere length. This equates to a telomere length change of ~60bp and, since telomere length decreases by approximately 19bp per year of age⁵⁰, this is equivalent in magnitude to an age difference of 3.1 years. We estimate that rs2736108 explains 0.08% of the variance in telomere length in men and 0.06% in women. SNPs in Peak 2 have a stronger effect on telomere length with each additional A (minor) allele of rs7705526 associated with a 2.6%-fold increase. This equates to a ~90bp change in telomere length and, correspondingly, to 4.7 years of age. We estimate that rs7705526 explains 0.31% of the variance in telomere length in men and 0.16% in women.
...
Our only findings consistent with the hypothesis that shorter telomeres predispose to increased cancer risk⁵³ (equivalent to longer telomeres being protective) are those from the Peak 1 SNPs. However, a regulatory-element construct containing the longer telomere associated alleles of three highly correlated SNPs, rs2736108, rs2736107 and rs2736109 (reconstructing a haplotype with 25% frequency in Europeans³⁵) virtually abolished promoter activity in a reporter assay. This finding leaves an apparently paradoxical association between decreased enhancer activity and increased telomere length (Figure 4).
...
In conclusion, this study provides definitive evidence for genetic control of telomere length by common genetic variants in the TERT locus. Additionally, we report multiple, independent TERT SNP associations with breast cancer risk, confirming previously-reported associations and identifying new associations in both the general population and in BRCA1 mutation carriers. We also provide, for the first time, highly significant evidence for the association of distinct TERT SNPs with serous LMP and invasive ovarian cancer risk. Our results demonstrate that the relationships between TERT genotype, telomere length and cancer risk are complex, and that the TERT locus may influence cancer risk through multiple mechanisms.

Should be useful for interpreting 23andMe results. Also looks like it provides good targets for BP alteration to perhaps override genetic predisposition via telomerase activating supplements.

Howard