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Doctors may soon be able to treat an aggressive form of childhood blood cancer more effectively.

New research by scientists working at New York University Cancer Institute has identified how the relationship between the carcinogenic gene Notch and a mutated Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 protein complex combine to cause T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (T-ALL).

It occurs when a white blood cell, which is still developing, turns malignant and begins to divide at a rapid rate. The condition can be fatal within weeks if untreated.

"The detection of new genetic alterations in T-ALL provides a new platform for selecting potential treatment strategies for the disease," said the senior author of the report Iannis Aifantis.

He explained that doctors could use Notch inhibitors in conjunction with current drugs in the future.

According to Cancer Research UK, it is estimated that around a third of all cancers that are diagnosed in children are some variety of leukaemia.

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