Question

Children with down's syndrome has an increase risk of developing which type of cancer

Answer 1

Down's Sydrome is a genetic disorder characterized by presence of an extra chromosome on 21st chromosome. It is usually two chromosomes but in Down's syndrome it is three chromosomes on 21 st chromosome.

Because of this abnormality , children with Down's syndrome have a higher risk of developing acute lymphoblastic leukemia and acute myeloid leukemia. The risk is increased to 20 fold in children with Down's syndrome when compared with non- Down's syndrome children.

It is found that 10 % of children born with Down's syndrome are diagnosed with acute megakaryocytic leukaemia.

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