University of Pittsburgh Jul 4 2025 Each time a cell divides, a small section of each chromosome's protective cap - the telomere - is worn away. Most cells use an enzyme called telomerase to help mitigate this loss, but 10% to 15% of cancers have another mechanism called the alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) pathway. ALT is found in some of the worst cancers, such as pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, osteosarcomas and subsets of glioma.Interfering with ALT in these cancers may be a