Japanese scientists have identified a new dangerous subtype of blood cancer.
Researchers from the National Cancer Center of Japan have identified a new subtype of T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia that is particularly dangerous for adolescents and young adults. This was reported by the head of the study, Ken'ichi Yoshida, head of the cancer progression research department.
The new subtype of the malignant blood disease develops from immature immune cells and is characterized by an aggressive course. In analyzing more than a thousand cases of T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the scientists identified a new variant in 14 patients aged 7 to 35 years. The average age of the affected individuals was about 17 years, indicating a predominance of cases among teenagers and young people.
"The prognosis for patients with this subtype was unfavorable — there were many cases of relapses and fatalities," Yoshida explained, adding that the disease has been classified as extremely high risk due to poor treatment outcomes.
A particular danger is that the new subtype is difficult to detect during standard examinations. It is associated with a rare chromosomal rearrangement, in which a segment of DNA that regulates gene activity moves and begins to activate other genes, provoking uncontrolled growth of tumor cells.
