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How big data is being mobilised in the fight against leukaemia

Over 100,000 worldwide are diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukaemia

How big data is being mobilised in the fight against leukaemia
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Sickle cell anemia, 3D illustration showing blood vessel with normal and deformated crescent-like red blood cells. Photo: Shutterstock

Lorna Jackson | The Conversation

Healthy cell function relies on well orchestrated gene activity. Via a fantastically complex network of interactions, around 30,000 genes cooperate to maintain this delicate balance in each of the 37.2 trillion cells in the human body.

Broadly speaking, cancer is a disruption of this balance by genetic changes, or mutations. Mutations can trigger over-activation of genes that normally instruct cells to divide, or inactivation of genes that suppress the development of cancer. When a mutated cell divides, it passes the mutation down to its daughter cells. This leads to the accumulation of non-functioning, abnormal cells that