Dr Angelo Selicorni told the Sydney conference that previously published medical data regarding life expectancy among people with CdLS was wrong.

“As we learn more about this syndrome we find that people with CdLS are living much longer than the medical literature suggests,” he said.

The Italian geneticist also said that suggestions of cancer being caused by untreated reflux had also been exaggerated but still urged that families ensure that people with CdLS should be checked regularly for reflux and that Barrett’s Syndrome should be investigated among CdLS adults. (Barrett’s is severe inflammation of the oesophagus).