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New study discovers genetic changes linked to leukaemia in children with Down’s syndrome

General Research

Researchers at the University of Oxford, in collaboration with colleagues from Hannover Medical School and Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, have discovered the specific gene mutations that are required for the development of leukaemia in children with Down’s syndrome.

New study discovers genetic changes linked to leukaemia in children with down2019s syndrome © Shutterstock

Researchers at the MRC Molecular Haematology Unit (Radcliffe Department of Medicine), in collaboration with colleagues from Hannover Medical School and Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, have discovered the specific gene mutations that are required for the development of leukaemia in children with Down’s syndrome.

Children with Down’s syndrome have a 150-fold increased risk of myeloid leukaemia, and while some of the genetic causes of this have been previously established, this is the first study to identify a wide range of mutations and how they functionally interact to lead to leukaemia. The study was published in the journal Cancer Cell.

Read more (University of Oxford website)