Telomere elongation via alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) and telomerase activation in primary metastatic medulloblastoma of childhood
Purpose: Elongation of telomeres is necessary for tumor cell immortalization and senescence escape; neoplastic cells use to
alternative pathways to elongate telomeres: telomerase reactivation or a telomerase-independent mechanism termed alternative
lengthening of telomeres (ALT). Telomerase and ALT pathway has been explored in adult and pediatric gliomas and
medulloblastomas (MDBs); however, these mechanisms were not previously investigated in MDBs metastatic at the onset.