According to the scientists, a set of pre-leukemic cells was present in 4-year old twins Olivia and Isabella Murphy. The cells were possibly obtained via a genetic mutation as early as their months inside their mother's womb.
As the twins grew, the cells were found to have remained dormant in Isabella, who is healthy, but were triggered in Olivia, who has been diagnosed with the blood cancer.
Experts suspect that the cells were awakened by an infection obtained by Olivia, who is being treated at Great Ormond Street Hospital.
Dr. David Grant of Leukemia Research noted on the discovery, saying "if we know the target that we need to hit to cure this disease, then we can develop new treatments."
"This discovery is taking us a long way forward towards that goal," he added.
Although Olivia's treatment had proven to be successful, her body failed to combat the effects of a chicken pox infection, resulting in blindness to one of her eyes. According to Times Online, this was yet another example of how some children succumb to unseen effects of leukemia treatment.
The twins' mother, Sarah, the research has helped them cope with the pain of Olivia's illness, as well as the side effects that have been brought about by the treatment.
"Anything that would make the treatment less invasive on little ones would be fantastic," she told Sky News. "Any kind of result from this research would be very positive. I know any family will welcome less chemotherapy, because you just don't want to see your child go through that."
Doctors will be eliminating the cancer cells in Olivia, and will be monitoring her condition.
