7296 results for "canc*"

in 32.92 milliseconds.

• Identifying mutations in patient-derived melanoma DCC lines

  To identify mutations that cause resistance, we analyzed two patient-derived cell lines: Mel-DCC-11 (the parental line, sensitive to the BRAF inhibitor) and Mel-DCC-11-R (resistant to the BRAF inhibitor). We employed targeted-panel sequencing to examine the coding sequences of 410 cancer-associated target genes.

  Study EGAS50000001225

• Eribulin efficacy in platinum-resistant and refractory high-grade serous ovarian cancer patient-derived xenograft models

  Objectives: To determine the potential of anti-microtubule agent (AMA) therapy (paclitaxel, vinorelbine and eribulin) in platinum-resistant or refractory (PRR) HGSC by assessing response in patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models of HGSC. Approach:We characterized a cohort of PRR HGSC PDX models generated from treatment naïve or postsystemic therapy specimens, representative of individuals with PRR HGSC in the clinic. Whole-exome sequencing was carried out on five PDX tumours and whole-genome sequencing was carried out on one patient tumour.

  Study EGAS50000000152

• Exome_sequencing_of_patients_with_Ewings_sarcoma_

  Cancer is driven by mutations in the genome. We will uncover the mutations that give rise to Ewing’s sarcoma, a bone tumour that largely affects children. We will use second generation Illumina massively parallel sequencing, and bespoke software, to characterise the genomes and transcriptomes of Ewings’ sarcoma tumours.

  Study EGAS00001000266

• Parallel Detections of Somatic Gene Mutations in Surgically Resected Tumor tissues and Matched Plasma Specimens in Early-Stages of Primary Breast Cancer

  We developed two panel successively, contain 68 and 136 genes respectively. Combination with ultrasound or mammography, it could be used for breast cancer early detection and avoided unnecessary surgery or other invasive detection.

  Study EGAS00001003075

• Whole genome bisulfite sequencing of prostate cancer samples upon oral pimonidazole administration

  Whole genome bisulfite sequencing was performed using laser-capture of microdissected specimen sections comparing PIMO positive and negative carcinoma areas. A hypoxia related methylation molecular signature was generated.

  Study EGAS50000000069

• MediMer: A versatile do-it-yourself peptide-receptive MHC class I multimer platform for tumor neoantigen-specific T cell detection

  Peptide-loaded MHC class I (pMHC-I) multimers have revolutionized our capabilities to monitor disease-associated T cell responses with high sensitivity and specificity. To improve the discovery of T cell receptors (TCR) targeting neoantigens of individual tumor patients with recombinant MHC molecules, we developed a peptide-loadable MHC class I platform termed MediMer. MediMers are based on soluble disulfide-stabilized β2-microglobulin/heavy chain ectodomain single-chain dimers (dsSCD) that can be easily produced in large quantities in eukaryotic cells and tailored to individual patients’ HLA allotypes with only little hands-on time. Upon transient expression in CHO-S cells together with ER-targeted BirA biotin ligase, biotinylated dsSCD are purified from the cell supernatant and are ready to use. We show that CHO-produced dsSCD are free of endogenous peptide ligands. Empty dsSCD from more than 30 different HLA-A,B,C allotypes, that were produced and validated so far, can be loaded with synthetic peptides matching the known binding criteria of the respective allotypes, and stored at low temperature without loss of binding activity. We demonstrate the usability of peptide-loaded dsSCD multimers for the detection of human antigen-specific T cells with comparable sensitivities as multimers generated with peptide-tethered β2m-HLA heavy chain single-chain trimers (SCT) and wild-type peptide-MHC-I complexes prior formed in small-scale refolding reactions. Using allotype-specific, fluorophore-labeled competitor peptides, we present a novel dsSCD-based peptide binding assay capable of interrogating large libraries of in silico predicted neoepitope peptides by flow cytometry in a high-throughput and rapid format. We discovered rare T cell populations with specificity for tumor neoepitopes and epitopes from shared tumor-associated antigens in peripheral blood of a melanoma patient including a so far unreported HLA-C*08:02-restricted NY-ESO-1-specific CD8+ T cell population. Two representative TCR of this T cell population, which could be of potential value for a broader spectrum of patients, were identified by dsSCD-guided single-cell sequencing and were validated by cognate pMHC-I multimer staining and functional responses to autologous peptide-pulsed antigen presenting cells. By deploying the novel CHO producer cell-based dsSCD MHC-I MediMer platform, we hope to significantly improve success rates for the discovery of personalized neoepitope- specific TCR in the future by being able to also cover rare HLA allotypes.

  Study EGAS50000000065

• Angiosarcoma_follow_up_2_validation_study

  A bespoke targeted pulldown experiment will be performed on patients with Angiosarcoma. the resulting products will be sequenced to determine the prevalence of previously found mutations in these patients.

  Study EGAS00001000518

• Breast_Cancer_Whole_Genome_Sequencing

  We propose to definitively characterise the somatic genetics of ER+ve, HER2-ve breast cancer through generation of comprehensive catalogues of somatic mutations in 500 cases by high coverage genome sequencing coupled with integrated transcriptomic and methylation analyses.

  Study EGAS00001000210

• RNA-Sequencing of cervical cancers

  Question: Can we identify cervical cancer patients who are at risk for distant metastatic (DM) recurrence following treatment with radiotherapy, concurrent weekly cisplatin and brachytherapy (RTCT). Findings: An immune-based 55 gene risk score was developed using a cohort of 81 patients treated with RTCT that was strongly predictive of DM and cause-specific survival (CSS). The risk score was validated in two independent patient cohorts. A high immune metastatic risk score was associated with a high tumor mutational burden and a ‘cold’, immune-excluded tumor microenvironment at diagnosis. Meaning: The immune gene expression risk score may help to identify patients at risk of DM and potential targets for mitigating this risk.

  Study EGAS50000000087

• Cloning_of_the_breakpoint_of_a_novel_translocation_associated_with_T_acute_lymphoblastic_leukaemia

  Single case of T-ALL carrying t(4;6), a novel translocation.

  Study EGAS00001000520

• Metabolic requirements of the metastasis-initiating tumour cell population using oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) as a model system

  Study EGAS00001004765

• Cerebrospinal fluid cfDNA sequencing for classification of central nervous system glioma

  Primary central nervous system (CNS) gliomas can be classified by characteristic genetic alterations. In addition to solid tissue obtained by surgery or biopsy, cell-free DNA (cfDNA) derived from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is an alternative source of material for genomic analyses. Experimental design: We performed targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) of CSF cfDNA in a representative cohort of 85 patients presenting with with suspicion of primary or recurrent glioma at two neurooncological centers. Copy-number variation (CNV) profiles, single nucleotide variants (SNVs), and small insertions/ deletions (indels) were combined into a molecular-guided tumor classification. Comparison with the solid tumor was performed for 38 cases with matching solid tissue available. Results: Cases were stratified into four groups: glioblastoma (n = 32), other glioma (n = 19), non-malignant (n = 17) and no confirmed diagnosis available (n = 17). We introduce a molecular-guided tumor classification, enabling identification of tumor entities and/ or cancer specific alterations in 75.0 % (n = 24) of glioblastoma and 52.6 % (n = 10) of other glioma cases. The overlap between CSF and matching solid tissue was highest for CNVs (26-48 %) and SNVs at pre-defined gene loci (44 %), followed by SNVs/indels identified via uninformed variant calling (8-14 %). A molecular-guided tumor classification was made 23.5 % (n = 4) of cases with no confirmed diagnosis available. Conclusions: We developed a workflow for targeted sequencing of CSF cfDNA as well as a strategy for interpretation and reporting of sequencing results based on a molecular-guided tumor classification in glioma.

  Study EGAS50000000060

• Ewings Sarcoma RNA-Seq

  Sarcomas are cancers of the bone and soft tissue often defined by their gene fusions. However, the timing, context, and processes by which these pathogenic fusions arise are unknown. We explored this in Ewing sarcoma, a cancer driven by EWSR1-ETS fusions, with very few cooperating mutations. Combining whole-genome sequencing with enhanced informatics, we found that the EWSR1-ETS fusion arose from striking rearrangement clusters in 42% of cases (52/124). Notably, these were organized in loops that universally contained the fusion at their center, while also weaving up to 18 genes together with it. We found the same pattern of rearrangements in three additional types of sarcoma. From these data, we define a new signature for sarcoma fusions that precedes other somatic changes, in the earliest replicating DNA of the genome. This dramatic, sudden process impinges on many genes – generating multiple coding changes that profoundly affect the transcriptome, with the disease-defining gene fusion at its core. These rearrangement loops emerge in an early ES clone from which both the primary tumor and the lethal relapse emerged, and then evolved in parallel until clinically detected.

  Study EGAS00001003062

• Histone chaperone CHAF1A promotes proliferation and tumorigenicity in gastric cancer and impacts prognosis via context-depedent regulation of gene expression

  The histone chaperone CHAF1A is associated with some tumors, but its mechanisms in tumor biology remain elusive. Gastric cancer (GC) has significant heterogeneity among patients, and novel prognostic markers and therapeutic targets may improve its outcomes. The role of CHAF1A in GC is unknown. In this study, we demonstrated that CHAF1A was overexpressed in GC tissues accompanied by low expression of wild-type P53 and high expression of the proliferation marker MKI67. In vitro, CHAF1A knockdown inhibited cell proliferation, induced cell cycle arrest and promoted apoptosis, while CHAF1A overexpression had contrary effects. In vivo, CHAF1A knockdown inhibited tumorigenicity of GC cells. A microarray assay with CHAF1A inhibition and a PathScan signaling antibody array with CHAF1A overexpression showed that CHAF1A inhibited the P53 pathway, activated stress response and induced glycolytic metabolism. In 665 patients, the expression level of CHAF1A protein was an independent predictor for overall survival and disease-free survival in non-cardia GC and also had survival associations in patients with small or perineural invasion-negative tumors. Tumor mRNA analyses based on next-generation sequencing in patients indicated that CHAF1A promoted the Warburg effect by depressing oxidative phosphorylation and increasing glycolysis. Furthermore, the heterogeneous clinical significance of CHAF1A among patient subgroups was associated with its differential regulation of gene expression involved with glycolysis and cell proliferation and survival, indicating that the role of CHAF1A is depended on patient characteristics. These results reveal critical roles and clinical values for CHAF1A in GC. CHAF1A may have context-dependent effects in GC, which increases understandings for GC heterogeneity.

  Study EGAS00001003064

• BS-seq in plasma of CRC patients

  We performed whole genome bisulfite sequencing of plasma DNA in 11 colorectal cancer patients to study the colonic DNA in plasma.

  Study EGAS00001003117

• AVENIO Expanded ctDNA panel sequence alignments (BAMs) from plasma DNA of lung cancer patients from the OSCILLATE trial

  The AVENIO ctDNA Expanded Kit is a next-generation sequencing (NGS) liquid biopsy assay with a 77 gene panel (192 kb) containing genes in U.S. National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Guidelines and emerging cancer biomarkers. This pan-cancer assay was applied to 100 plasma samples from patients with lung cancer undergoing treatment in the OSCILLATE trial. After 150 bp paired-end sequencing, reads were aligned to the human genome reference with the AVENIO Oncology Analysis Software. These files are the sorted non-deduplicated alignments generated by the analysis software used for subsequent variant, indel and CNV calling.

  Study EGAS50000000103

• Immunomodulatory effects and improved outcomes with cisplatin- vs carboplatin-based chemotherapy plus atezolizumab in urothelial cancer

  In metastatic urothelial cancer (mUC), cisplatin versus carboplatin leads to durable disease control in a subset of patients. The IMvigor130 trial reveals more favorable effects with atezolizumab combined with gemcitabine and cisplatin (GemCis) versus gemcitabine and carboplatin (GemCarbo). This study investigates the immunomodulatory effects of cisplatin as a potential explanation for these observations. Our findings indicate that improved outcomes with GemCis versus GemCarbo are primarily observed in patients with pretreatment tumors exhibiting features of restrained adaptive immunity. Additionally, GemCis versus GemCarbo ± atezolizumab induces transcriptional changes in circulating immune cells, including upregulation of antigen presentation and T-cell activation programs. In vitro experiments demonstrate that cisplatin, compared with carboplatin, exerts direct immunomodulatory effects on cancer cells, promoting dendritic cell activation and antigen-specific T cell killing. These results underscore the key role of immune modulation in cisplatin's efficacy in mUC and highlight the importance of specific chemotherapy backbones in immunotherapy combination regimens.

  Study EGAS50000000104

• Transcriptomic profiles of early and late passage metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) tumoroids

  The breadth and depth at which cancer models are interrogated contribute to successful translation of drug discovery efforts to the clinic. In colorectal cancer (CRC), model availability is limited by a dearth of large-scale collections of patient-derived xenografts (PDXs) and paired tumoroids from metastatic disease, the setting where experimental therapies are typically tested. XENTURION is a unique open-science resource that combines a platform of 129 PDX models and a sister platform of 129 matched PDX-derived tumoroids (PDXTs) from patients with metastatic CRC, with accompanying multidimensional molecular and therapeutic characterization. This specific dataset is focused on a comparison of early and late passage tumoroids transcriptomes.

  Study EGAS50000000108

• Clones derived from early passage tumoroids of colorectal cancer

  We obtained different clones from early passage CRC tumoroids to study mutational signatures specific for truncal or private somatic alterations. These whole genome sequences are part of a larger study on the heterogeneity and evolution of DNA mutation rates in microsatellite-stable colorectal cancer.

  Study EGAS50000000107

• Altered enhancer-promoter interaction leads to MNX1 expression in pediatric acute myeloid leukemia with t(7;12)(q36;p13)

  Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with the t(7;12)(q36;p13) translocation occurs only in very young children and has a poor clinical outcome. The expected oncofusion between breakpoint partners (MNX1 and ETV6) has only been reported in a subset of cases. However, a universal feature is the strong transcript and protein expression of MNX1, a homeobox transcription factor that is normally not expressed in hematopoietic cells. Here, we map the translocation breakpoints on chromosomes 7 and 12 in affected patients to a region proximal to MNX1 and either introns 1 or 2 of ETV6. The frequency of MNX1 overexpression in pediatric AML (n=1556, own and published data) is 2.4% and occurs predominantly in t(7;12)(q36;p13) AML. Chromatin interaction assays in a t(7;12)(q36;p13) iPSC cell line model unravel an enhancer-hijacking event that explains MNX1 overexpression in hematopoietic cells. Our data suggest that enhancer-hijacking is a more common and overlooked mechanism for structural rearrangement-mediated gene activation in AML.

  Study EGAS50000000130

• Efficacy and safety of entrectinib in patients with ROS1-positive advanced/metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) from the Blood First Assay Screening Trial (BFAST)

  BFAST is a global, open-label, multicohort trial that evaluates the efficacy and safety of multiple therapies in patients with advanced/metastatic NSCLC and targetable alterations, identified by blood-based molecular testing. We present data from Cohort D (ROS1-positive). Patients ≥18 years old with stage IIIB/IV, ROS1-positive NSCLC detected by blood-based testing, received entrectinib 600 mg daily. At data cut-off (November 2021), 55 patients were enrolled and 54 had measurable disease. Cohort D met its primary endpoint; the confirmed objective response rate (ORR) by investigator was 81.5% which was consistent with the ORR from the integrated analysis of entrectinib (investigator-assessed ORR: 73.4%, data cut-off May 2019, ≥12 months follow-up). The safety profile of entrectinib was consistent with prior reports. These results demonstrate consistency with those from the integrated analysis of entrectinib in patients with ROS1-positive NSCLC identified by tissue-based testing and support the clinical value of blood-based testing to inform clinical decision-making.

  Study EGAS50000000105

• Low-coverage whole-sequencing of metastasised colorectal cancer samples treated with bevazicumab

  Low-coverage whole-genome sequencing (LC-WGS) was performed on tumor tissue, normal tissue and plasma samples collected from mCRC patients from the AC-ANGIOPREDICT Phase II trial (NCT01822444) and the University Medical Center Mannheim (UMM).

  Study EGAS50000000131

• Multiregion Whole-Exome Sequencing Uncovers the Genetic Evolution and Mutational Heterogeneity of Early-Stage Metastatic Melanoma.

  Study EGAS00001004320

• Cancer-associated fibroblasts promote drug resistance in ALK-driven lung adenocarcinoma cells by upregulating lipid biosynthesis

  Targeted therapy interventions using tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) provide encouraging treatment responses in ALK-rearranged lung adenocarcinomas, yet resistances occur almost inevitably. Apart from tumor cell-intrinsic resistance mechanisms, accumulating evidence supports a role of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in affecting the therapeutic vulnerability of lung cancer cells. Here, we aimed to investigate underlying molecular networks shaping the therapeutic susceptibility of ALK-driven lung adenocarcinoma cells via tumor microenvironmental cues using three-dimensional (3D) spheroid co-culture settings. We show that CAFs promote therapy resistance of lung tumor cells against ALK inhibition by reducing apoptotic cell death and increasing cell proliferation. Using single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis, we show that genes involved in lipogenesis constitute the major transcriptional difference between TKI-treated homo- and heterotypic lung tumor spheroids. CAF-conditioned medium and CAF-secreted factors HGF and NRG1 were both able to promote resistance of 3D-cultured ALK-rearranged lung tumor cells via AKT signaling, which was accompanied by enhanced de novo lipogenesis and supression of lipid peroxidation. Notably, simultaneous targeting of ALK and SREBP-1 was able to overcome the established CAF-driven lipid metabolic-supportive niche of TKI-resistant lung tumor spheroids. Our findings highlight a crucial role of CAFs in mediating ALK-TKI resistance via lipid metabolic reprogramming and suggest new ways to overcome resistance towards molecular directed drugs by targeting vulnerabilities downstream of oncogenic signaling.

  Study EGAS50000000135

• Activating AKT1 and PIK3CA mutations in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer

  Study EGAS00001004328

• SCANDARE MACARON

  Among gynecological cancers, high-grade serous ovarian cancer has the highest prevalence and more than 75% of patients have advanced stage at diagnosis with a 5-year survival of 40%. When the initial complete surgical removal is not possible (60% of patients), an interval surgery can be considered after three to four cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy to reduce the tumor mass. However, in approximately 50% of cases the tumor has little or no response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Therefore, identification of potential drug targets, biomarkers and/or pathways whose modulation can help in the prevention, interception, or curing of the disease is essential to address the unmet need. Therefore, MACARON project aims to address these issues through the identification of shared neoantigens arising out of somatic alterations and aberrant transcriptional programs in ovarian cancer DNA/RNA datasets.

  Study EGAS50000000145

• Small‑scale mutations are infrequent as mechanisms of resistance in post‑PARP inhibitor tumour samples in high grade serous ovarian cancer

  Targeted DNA sequencing of high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSC) tumour and normal samples from 26 patients. Following target hybrid capture of 63 genes involved in DNA repair and response to treatment with an Agilent SureSelect XT panel, sequencing libraries were generated using the SureSelect XT Low Input Target Enrichment System (Agilent) as per the manufacturer's protocol. Libraries were sequenced on an Illumina NextSeq 500 at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre (Melbourne, Australia).

  Study EGAS50000000146

• Whole exome sequencing of bladder tumors

  Bladder carcinomas are immunogenic, and patients with bladder cancer benefit from immune checkpoint therapy. This is correlated to a high tumor mutation burden, which provides a higher number of neoepitopes that can be recognized by tumor-specific CD8+ T cells. Intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) is used to treat non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC), but its mechanism of action remains elusive. Most lymphocytes appearing in the urine of BCG-treated patients are CD4+ T cells though preclinical studies showed that CD8+ T cells are also necessary for BCG treatment efficacy. It is currently unknown which proportion of patients with non-metastatic bladder cancer develop a spontaneous antitumor CD8+ response, and if BCG treatment influences this response. were prepared using the xGen Dual Index UMI Adapters (IDT), and genomic DNA (gDNA) extracted (DNeasy kit, Qiagen) from formalin-fixed paraffin- embedded (FFPE) or snap-frozen tumor tissue, as well as autologous lymphocytes. Libraries were subjected to paired-end sequencing using Illumina HiSeq4000 with a coverage depth of 250X. Library preparation was carried out with the AllType FASTplex NGS 11 Loci Flex Kit (One Lambda), and sequencing was conducted on the Illumina MiSeq platform.

  Study EGAS50000001248

• RNA-seq of Glioblastoma stem cells

  Chromatin accessibility discriminates stem from mature cell populations, enabling the identification of primitive stem-like cells in primary tumors, such as Glioblastoma (GBM) where self-renewing cells driving cancer progression and recurrence are prime targets for therapeutic intervention. We show, using single-cell chromatin accessibility, that primary GBMs harbor a heterogeneous self-renewing population whose diversity is captured in patient-derived glioblastoma stem cells (GSCs). In depth characterization of chromatin accessibility in GSCs identifies three GSC states: Reactive, Constructive, and Invasive, each governed by uniquely essential transcription factors and present within GBMs in varying proportions. Orthotopic xenografts reveal that GSC states associate with survival, and identify an invasive GSC signature predictive of low patient survival. Our chromatin-driven characterization of GSC states improves prognostic precision and identifies dependencies to guide combination therapies.

  Study EGAS00001003070

• Genome-wide NanoRCS sequencing of cfDNA and ctDNA from liquid biopsies of healthy individuals and cancer patients

  Levels of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in liquid biopsies may serve as a sensitive biomarker for real-time, minimally-invasive tumor diagnostics and monitoring. However, detecting ctDNA is challenging, as much fewer than 5% of the cell-free DNA in the blood typically originates from the tumor. To detect lowly abundant molecules, extremely sensitive sequencing methods are required. We developed a new technique, NanoRCS, which is based on Oxford Nanopore sequencing of concatenated copies of a single DNA molecule for genome-wide sequencing, and applied this to plasma of healthy individuals, Esophageal cancer patients and Granulosa cell tumor patients and ascites of Ovarian cancer patients. We also sequenced these samples on Illumina Novaseq, to compare the two techniques.

  Study EGAS50000000154

• BIG_MS_Pilot

  Testing logistics and infrastructure of molecular screening program. Core biopsies taken from invasive recurrent or metastatic breast cancer to evaluate and identify molecular traits rendering them suitable for clinical trials

  Study EGAS00001000616

• Deregulation of FOXF1/FENDRR from t(14;16)(q32;q24) defines a subtype of high risk lineage ambiguous leukemia

  Despite great progress in understanding the genomic basis of immature T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoblastic lymphoma (T-ALL) and acute leukemias of ambiguous lineage (ALAL), there are still cases that lack defining genetic markers, complicating risk stratification and limiting targeted therapeutic options. Here, we describe a subtype of leukemia defined by the t(14;16)(q32;q24) translocation, which places the FOXF1 gene and its antisense long noncoding RNA gene FENDRR under the regulatory control of the BCL11B enhancer, leading to their ectopic transcriptional activation. Analysis of different high-throughput sequencing data, including WGS, RNA-seq, scDNA-seq, scRNA-seq, ChIP-seq, ATAC-seq, and HiChIP-seq, identified BCL11B-enhancer mediated deregulation of FOXF1/FENDRR as a hallmark of a subtype of high-risk lineage ambiguous leukemia that is potentially amenable to targeted therapeutic intervention.

  Study EGAS50000001255

• Oxidative DNA damage and ubiquitin proteasome system dysfunction underpins neurodegeneration in young adults with a DNA repair disorder

  Xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) is caused by defective nucleotide excision-repair of DNA damage. This results in hypersensitivity to ultraviolet light and increased skin cancer risk, as sunlight-induced photoproducts remain unrepaired. However, many XP patients also display early-onset neurodegeneration, which leads to premature death. The mechanism of neurodegeneration is unknown. Here, we investigate XP neurodegeneration using pluripotent stem cells derived from XP patients and healthy relatives, performing functional multi-omics on samples during neuronal differentiation. We have identified substantially increased levels of 5',8-cyclopurine and 8-oxopurine in XP neuronal DNA secondary to marked oxidative stress. Furthermore, we find endoplasmic reticulum stress is upregulated, and, critically, XP neurons exhibit inappropriate downregulation of the protein clearance ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS). Chemical enhancement of UPS activity improves phenotypes, albeit inadequately, implying that early detection/prevention strategies are necessary to produce clinically impactful outcomes. Thus, we develop an early detection assay predicting neurodegeneration in at-risk patients.

  Study EGAS50000000158

• Longitudinal copy number variation analysis from plasma DNA of head and neck cancer patients under re-radiotherapy

  Recurrent locally advanced head and neck cancer (HNC) patients, receiving re-radiotherapy (re-RT), are presented with short progression-free (PFS) and overall survival. Hence, biomarkers predicting therapy failure are urgently needed. We analyzed copy number variations (CNVs) in blood plasma of HNC patients collected before, during and after re-RT. Detectable CNVs after five and ten fractions of re-irradiation as well as at the end of re-RT were associated with short PFS. Furthermore, we found that CNV kinetics in longitudinally collected plasma reflected therapy response and could detect disease progression in advance of radiographic tumor assessments.

  Study EGAS50000000163

• Somatic_mutation_and_clonal_evolution_in_the_human_testes

  In this study we aim to characterise the landscape of Pathogenic variants and clonal dynamics in normal and cancerous testes and their role in cancer predisposition. The study combines targeted sequencing and whole-genome sequencing of microbiopsies from testes. The range of patients studied will include healthy individuals, and patients with testicular cancer.

  Study EGAS00001003021

• Immune heterogeneity in small cell lung cancer and vulnerability to immune checkpoint blockade

  Following the pivotal Phase III IMpower133 study, atezolizumab (anti–PD-L1), combined with carboplatin and etoposide (CE), was the first immune checkpoint inhibitor approved for first-line treatment of extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) and is now a standard of care. A clearer understanding of therapeutically relevant SCLC subsets is needed to improve outcomes and to identify rational combination strategies. Transcriptomic analyses and nonnegative matrix factorization were conducted on 271 pre-treatment patient tumor samples from IMpower133 and four subsets with general concordance to previously reported SCLC subtypes were identified. Deeper investigation into the immune heterogeneity relevant to clinical outcomes uncover two subsets with differing neuroendocrine (NE) versus non-neuroendocrine (non-NE) phenotypes that demonstrated hallmarks of immune cell infiltration. The balance of tumor-associated macrophage (TAM) to T-effector signals distinguished these inflamed subsets. Tumors with low TAM but high T-effector signals had a NE phenotype and demonstrated longer overall survival with PD-L1 blockade and CE versus CE alone than did tumors with high TAM and high T-effector signal, which had a non-NE phenotype. The delineation of SCLC immune heterogeneity offers a clinically relevant approach to discriminate SCLC patients likely to benefit most from immunotherapeutic approaches and highlights the complex mechanisms underlying response and resistance to immune checkpoint blockade. 

  Study EGAS50000000138

• Residual ANTXR1+ myofibroblasts after chemotherapy inhibit anti-tumor immunity via YAP1 signaling pathway

  Although cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF) heterogeneity is well-established, the impact of chemotherapy on CAF populations remains poorly understood. We address this question in high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC), in which we previously identified 4 CAF populations. While the global content in stroma increases in HGSOC after chemotherapy, the proportion of FAP+ CAF (also called CAF-S1) decreases. Still, maintenance of high residual CAF-S1 content after chemotherapy is associated with reduced CD8+ T lymphocyte density and poor patient prognosis, emphasizing the importance of CAF-S1 reduction upon treatment. Single cell analysis, spatial transcriptomics and immunohistochemistry reveal that the content in the ECM-producing ANTXR1+ CAF-S1 cluster (ECM-myCAF) is the most affected by chemotherapy. Moreover, functional assays demonstrate that ECM-myCAF isolated from HGSOC reduce CD8+ T-cell cytotoxicity through a Yes Associated Protein 1 (YAP1)-dependent mechanism. Thus, efficient inhibition after treatment of YAP1-signaling pathway in the ECM-myCAF cluster is required to enhance CD8+ T-cell cytotoxicity. Altogether, these data pave the way for novel therapy targeting YAP1 in ECM-myCAF in HGSOC.

  Study EGAS50000000136

• Evolutionary Trajectories of Small Cell Lung Cancer under Therapy

  Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is one of the deadliest human cancers with a five-years survival rate of less than 7%. The standard of care for extensive-stage SCLC consists of systemic treatment with platinum and etoposide, recently combined with PD-L1 immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI). SCLC patients show high sensitivity to platinum-based chemotherapy, followed by rapid recurrence, which distinguishes SCLC from most human cancers. Unfortunately, second-line treatment with other chemotherapeutics or immunotherapy is only marginally effective, and patients ultimately succumb to their disease. We performed whole exome sequencing, whole genome sequencing and transcriptome sequencing of multiple tumor regions from 65 patients with SCLC. We determined tumor phylogenies at diagnosis and throughout chemotherapy and immunotherapy by multi-region sequencing of 160 tumors from 65 patients, to thus decipher the evolutionary processes underlying the remarkable sensitivity of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) to chemotherapy.

  Study EGAS50000000169

• Single-cell transcriptomic analyses of peripheral blood mononuclear cells, peritoneal fluid, and peritoneal metastases from patients with colorectal cancer

  The data published here contains single-cell RNA- sequencing (scRNAseq) on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), peritoneal fluid (PF), and peritoneal metastases (PM). PBMC, PF and, where possible, PM was acquired from patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) and subjected to 3' scRNAseq using the 10X Genomics (Chromium Single Cell 3’ Reagent). Sequencing was performed in a paired-ended fashion on either the HiSeq4000 or the NovaSeq6000.

  Study EGAS50000000173

• Neoadjuvant atezolizumab plus chemotherapy in gastric and gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma: the phase 2 PANDA trial

  Gastric and gastroesophageal junction (G/GEJ) cancers carry a poor prognosis, and despite recent advancements most patients die of their disease. While immune checkpoint blockade has become part of the standard of care for patients with metastatic G/GEJ cancers, its efficacy and impact on the tumor microenvironment in the early disease setting remain largely unknown. We hypothesized a higher efficacy of neoadjuvant immunotherapy plus chemotherapy in patients with non-metastatic G/GEJ cancer. In the phase 2 PANDA trial, patients with previously untreated resectable G/GEJ tumors (n=21) received neoadjuvant treatment with one cycle of atezolizumab monotherapy followed by 4 cycles of atezolizumab plus docetaxel, oxaliplatin and capecitabine. Treatment was well-tolerated, and all patients underwent resection without treatment-related delays, meeting the primary endpoint of safety and feasibility. Tissue was obtained at multiple time points, allowing analysis of the effects of single-agent PD-L1 blockade and the subsequent combination with chemotherapy on the tumor microenvironment. A total of 21 patients were included, of whom 20 patients underwent surgery and were evaluable for the secondary pathologic response and survival endpoints, while 19 were evaluable for exploratory translational analyses. A major pathologic response (MPR, ≤10% residual viable tumor) was observed in 14/20 (70%; 95% CI 46-88%) patients, including 9 (45%; 95% CI 23-68%) pathologic complete responses. At a median follow-up of 47 months, 13/14 responders were alive and disease-free, while 5/6 nonresponders had died due to disease recurrence. Notably, baseline PD-1+CD8+ T cell infiltration was significantly higher in responders than in nonresponders, and comparison of the tumor microenvironment alterations following anti-PD-L1 monotherapy versus the subsequent combination with chemotherapy revealed that increased immune activity was achieved upon single-agent PD-1/L1 axis blockade. Based on these data, anti-PD-L1 plus chemotherapy warrants further exploration in patients with non-metastatic G/GEJ cancer, and these results call for validation in a larger cohort.

  Study EGAS50000000168

• Stability of gut microbiome after COVID-19 vaccination in healthy and immuno-compromised individuals

  Bidirectional interactions between the immune system and the gut microbiota are key contributors to various physiological functions. Immune-associated diseases such as cancer and auto- immunity, and efficacy of immunomodulatory therapies, have been linked to microbiome variation. Although COVID-19 infection has been shown to cause microbial dysbiosis, it remains understudied whether the inflammatory response associated with vaccination also impacts the microbiota. Here, we investigate the temporal impact of COVID-19 vaccination on the gut microbiome in healthy and immuno-compromised individuals; the latter included patients with primary immunodeficiency and cancer patients on immuno- modulating therapies. We find that the gut microbiome remained remarkably stable postvaccination irrespective of diverse immune status, vaccine response, and microbial composition spanned by the cohort. The stability is evident at all evaluated levels including diversity, phylum, species, and functional capacity. Our results in- dicate the resilience of the gut microbiome to host immune changes triggered by COVID-19 vaccination and suggest minimal, if any, impact on microbiome-mediated processes. These findings en- courage vaccine acceptance, particularly when contrasted with the significant microbiome shifts observed during COVID-19 infection.

  Study EGAS50000000179

• Exome sequencing of early and late passage Patient Derived Xenogratf Tumoroids with matched Patient Derived Xenogratfs and matched normal liver

  The breadth and depth at which cancer models are interrogated contribute to successful translation of drug discovery efforts to the clinic. In colorectal cancer (CRC), model availability is limited by a dearth of large-scale collections of patient-derived xenografts (PDXs) and paired tumoroids from metastatic disease, the setting where experimental therapies are typically tested. XENTURION is a unique open-science resource that combines a platform of 129 PDX models and a sister platform of 129 matched PDX-derived tumoroids (PDXTs) from patients with metastatic CRC, with accompanying multidimensional molecular and therapeutic characterization. This specific dataset is focused on a comparison of early and late passage tumoroids transcriptomes. In this study we focused our attention on early (passage 3) and late (passage 8-12) PDXTs with their matched PDXs and normal liver

  Study EGAS50000000185

• Somatic point mutation data from microsatellite unstable colorectal cancers

  Microsatellite instability (MSI) leads to accumulation of an excessive number of mutations in the genome, mostly small insertions and deletions. MSI CRCs, however, also contain more point mutations than microsatellite stable (MSS) tumors, yet they have not been as comprehensively studied. To identify candidate driver genes affected by point mutations in MSI CRC, we ranked genes based on mutation significance while correcting for replication timing and gene expression utilizing an algorithm, MutSigCV. Somatic point mutation data from the exome kit-targeted area from 24 exome sequenced sporadic MSI CRCs and respective normals, and 12 whole genome sequenced sporadic MSI CRCs and respective normals were utilized. The top 73 genes were validated in 93 additional MSI CRCs.

  Study EGAS00001003101

• Oxidative DNA damage and ubiquitin proteasome system dysfunction underpins neurodegeneration in young adults with a DNA repair disorder

  Xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) is caused by defective nucleotide excision-repair of DNA damage. This results in hypersensitivity to ultraviolet light and increased skin cancer risk, as sunlight-induced photoproducts remain unrepaired. However, many XP patients also display early-onset neurodegeneration, which leads to premature death. The mechanism of neurodegeneration is unknown. Here, we investigate XP neurodegeneration using pluripotent stem cells derived from XP patients and healthy relatives, performing functional multi-omics on samples during neuronal differentiation. We have identified substantially increased levels of 5',8-cyclopurine and 8-oxopurine in XP neuronal DNA secondary to marked oxidative stress. Furthermore, we find endoplasmic reticulum stress is upregulated, and, critically, XP neurons exhibit inappropriate downregulation of the protein clearance ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS). Chemical enhancement of UPS activity improves phenotypes, albeit inadequately, implying that early detection/prevention strategies are necessary to produce clinically impactful outcomes. Thus, we develop an early detection assay predicting neurodegeneration in at-risk patients.

  Study EGAS50000000160

• Oxidative DNA damage and ubiquitin proteasome system dysfunction underpins neurodegeneration in young adults with a DNA repair disorder

  Xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) is caused by defective nucleotide excision-repair of DNA damage. This results in hypersensitivity to ultraviolet light and increased skin cancer risk, as sunlight-induced photoproducts remain unrepaired. However, many XP patients also display early-onset neurodegeneration, which leads to premature death. The mechanism of neurodegeneration is unknown. Here, we investigate XP neurodegeneration using pluripotent stem cells derived from XP patients and healthy relatives, performing functional multi-omics on samples during neuronal differentiation. We have identified substantially increased levels of 5',8-cyclopurine and 8-oxopurine in XP neuronal DNA secondary to marked oxidative stress. Furthermore, we find endoplasmic reticulum stress is upregulated, and, critically, XP neurons exhibit inappropriate downregulation of the protein clearance ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS). Chemical enhancement of UPS activity improves phenotypes, albeit inadequately, implying that early detection/prevention strategies are necessary to produce clinically impactful outcomes. Thus, we develop an early detection assay predicting neurodegeneration in at-risk patients.

  Study EGAS50000000162

• Origin of second malignancies in children

  Pediatric cancers are rare diseases, and children without known germline predisposing conditions who develop a second malignancy during developmental ages are extremely rare. We present four such clinical cases and through whole-genome and error-correcting ultra-deep duplex sequencing of tumor and normal samples, we explored the origin of the second malignancy in four children, uncovering different routes of development. The exposure to cytotoxic therapies was linked to the emergence of a secondary AML. A common somatic mutation acquired early during embryonic development was the driver of two solid malignancies in another child. In two cases, the two tumors developed from completely independent clones diverging during embryogenesis. Importantly, we demonstrate that platinum-based therapies contributed at least in one order of magnitude more mutations per day of exposure than aging to normal tissues in these children.

  Study EGAS50000000167

• Recurrent loss of heterozygosity correlates with clinical outcome in pancreatic neuroendocrine cancer

  Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNETs) are uncommon cancers arising from pancreatic islet cells. Here we report analysis of gene mutation, copy number and RNA expression of 57 sporadic well-differentiated pNETs.

  Study EGAS00001003038

• Karyotype Evolution in Response to Chemoradiotherapy and Upon Recurrence of Esophageal Adenocarcinomas

  The genome of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) is highly unstable and might evolve over time. Here, we track karyotype evolution in EACs in response to treatment and upon recurrence through multi-region and longitudinal analysis. To this end, we introduce L-PAC, a bio-informatics technique that allows inference of absolute copy number aberrations (CNA) of low-purity samples by leveraging information of high-purity samples from the same cancer. Quantitative analysis of matched absolute CNAs reveals that the amount of karyotype evolution induced by chemoradiotherapy (CRT) is predictive for early recurrence and depends on the initial level of karyotype intra-tumor heterogeneity. We observe that CNAs acquired in response to CRT are partially reversed back to the initial state upon recurrence. CRT hence alters the fitness landscape to which tumors can adjust by adapting their karyotype. Together, our results indicate that karyotype plasticity contributes to therapy resistance of EACs.

  Study EGAS00001007711

• A Genomics-Based Classification of Human Lung Tumors

  We characterized genome alterations in 1255 clinically annotated lung tumors of all histological subgroups to identify genetically defined and clinically relevant subtypes. More than 55% of all cases had at least one oncogenic genome alteration potentially amenable to specific therapeutic intervention, including several personalized treatment approaches that are already in clinical evaluation. Marked differences in the pattern of genomic alterations existed between and within histological subtypes, thus challenging the original histomorphological diagnosis. Immunohistochemical studies confirmed many of these reassigned subtypes. The reassignment eliminated almost all cases of large cell carcinomas, some of which had therapeutically relevant alterations. Prospective testing of our genomics-based diagnostic algorithm in 5145 lung cancer patients enabled a genome-based diagnosis in 3863 (75%) patients, confirmed the feasibility of rational reassignments of large cell lung cancer, and led to improvement in overall survival in patients with EGFR-mutant or ALK-rearranged cancers. Thus, our findings provide support for broad implementation of genome-based diagnosis of lung cancer.

  Study EGAS00001000647

• Circulating cell-free DNA analysis in Small Cell Lung Cancer

  Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) accounts for ~250,000 deaths worldwide each year. Acquisition of adequate tumour biopsies is challenging and liquid biopsies present the best option for patient stratification and response monitoring. We present genome-wide and targeted plasma DNA sequencing data that identifies tumour related changes in 91% of limited (LS-SCLC) and 100% of extensive stage (ES-SCLC) patients. Parallel analysis of circulating tumour cells (CTCs, by CellSearch) based on ≥ 1 CTC/7.5ml blood increased tumour detection frequencies to 98% patients (95% for LS-SCLC) where CTC count and plasma DNA readouts correlated with disease stage and overall survival (OS). Targeted plasma DNA sequencing identified potential therapeutic targets in >50% of patients. This approach will support trials of targeted therapies where improved patients outcomes are urgently required.

  Study EGAS00001003110

• Frequent mutation of the FOXA1 untranslated region in prostate cancer

  We sequenced the coding and untranslated regions of 72 prostate cancer driver genes in 712 plasma cell free DNA samples from 428 men with metastatic prostate cancer, in an effort to understand the role of untranslated region mutations in late stage prostate cancer.

  Study EGAS00001003113

• Shallow Whole Genome Sequencing of Patient Derived Xenografts

  Chemotherapy is the standard-of-care treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) and benefits some patients, but what distinguishes responders from non-responders is unclear. In this study, we leveraged a comprehensive collection of 27 molecularly annotated patient-derived xenografts to uncover functional predictors of response to 5-FU and irinotecan combination therapy (FOLFIRI) in mCRC. Genetic analyses revealed that treatment sensitivity was marked by genomic scars indicative of BRCAness, suggesting homologous recombination (HR) deficiency as a key determinant. Accordingly, we surveyed a manually curated panel of 44 genes with a documented role in HR for the potential presence of pathogenic mutations. We did not observe a specific enrichment of HR gene mutations based on response to FOLFIRI. This result, combined with the absence of widespread biallelic inactivation of the analyzed genes and the predominance of mutations categorized as variants of unknown significance, suggests that FOLFIRI sensitivity is not primarily governed by underlying mutations in HR genes responsible for mitigating the genotoxic effects of this therapeutic regimen.

  Study EGAS50000000191

• Low and variable tumor reactivity of the intratumoral TCR repertoire in human cancers

  Infiltration of human cancers by T cells is generally interpreted as a sign of immune recognition, and there is a growing effort to reactivate dysfunctional T cells at such tumor sites. However, these efforts only have value if the intratumoral T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire of such cells is intrinsically tumor-reactive, and this has not been established in an unbiased manner for most human cancers. To address this issue, we analyzed the intrinsic tumor-reactivity of the intratumoral TCR repertoire of CD8+ T cells in ovarian and colorectal cancer – two tumor types for which T cell infiltrates form a positive prognostic marker. Data obtained demonstrate that a capacity to recognize autologous tumor is limited to approximately 10% of intratumoral CD8+ T cells. Furthermore, in two out of four patient samples tested, no tumor-reactive TCRs were identified, despite infiltration of their tumors by T cells. These data indicate that the intrinsic capacity of intratumoral T cells to recognize adjacent tumor tissue can be rare and variable, and suggest that clinical efforts to reactivate intratumoral T cells will benefit from approaches that simultaneously increase the quality of the intratumoral TCR repertoire.

  Study EGAS00001003119

• Microbiome confounders and quantitative profiling challenge established microbial targets in colorectal cancer developmental stages

  Study EGAS00001007413

• cell-Free DNA Genomic Profiling and its Clinical Implementation in Advanced Prostate Cancer

  Sixty-eight patients with advanced prostate cancer in castration-resistant or castration-sensitive settings undergoing treatment at the University Hospital Basel or the St. Claraspital Basel (Switzerland) were selected for targeted parallel sequencing analysis on liquid biopsy (plasma cfDNA) and matched formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tumor tissue samples.

  Study EGAS50000000234

• Renal_Follow_Up_Series

  This study's purpose is to use data generated in Renal whole genome and exome Cancer sequencing to target specific areas in multiple other Renal Cancer samples. These areas will then be subjected to bespoke pull downs, tagged and then pool the resultant amplicons. These amplicons will then be sequenced. This is hoped to show the prevalence of previous findings in multiple individuals in a high throughput method.

  Study EGAS00001000095

• Comprehensive spatial landscape and plasticity of immunosuppressive fibroblasts in breast cancer

  Although immunosuppressive and pro-metastatic functions of FAP+ Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts (CAF) are well-established, their plasticity and spatial distribution remain poorly understood. Here, we analyze trajectory inference, deconvolute spatial transcriptomics at single-cell level and perform functional assays to generate an integrative high-resolution map of breast cancer (BC), focusing particularly on the different subpopulations within inflammatory and myofibroblastic (iCAF/myCAF) FAP+ CAF. We identify 10 spatially-organized FAP+ CAF-related cellular niches, called EcoCellTypes, which are precisely localized within tumors. Consistent with their spatial organization, we identify DPP4- and YAP1-dependent mechanisms, by which cancer cells drive the transition of the detoxification-associated inflammatory FAP+ CAF cluster (Detox-iCAF) towards immunosuppressive extracellular matrix (ECM)-producing myofibroblasts (ECM-myCAF). In turn, ECM-myCAF polarize TREM2+ macrophages and regulatory NK cells to induce immunosuppressive EcoCellTypes. FAP+ CAF subpopulations accumulate differently depending on the invasive BC status and predict invasive recurrence of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), which could help in identifying low-risk DCIS patients eligible for therapeutic de-escalation.

  Study EGAS50000000220

• Single-cell atlas of penile cancer reveals TP53 mutations as driver for an aggressive phenotype, irrespective of HPV status, and provides clues for treatment personalization

  Our aim was to identify molecular differences in the microenvironment of penile squamous cell carcinoma (PSCC) stratified by TP53 loss-of-function (TP53LOF) mutations and HPV-status. Hence, we present a first single-cell transcriptomic atlas of PSCC. Stratification based on TP53 and HPV-status uncovered differences in CSS and underlying molecular pathways. Our data indicate that TP53LOF tumors are characterized by worse biological behavior regardless of HPV-status. These findings and further research are essential for trial design in PSCC, allowing us to move away from the current one-size-fits-all approach.

  Study EGAS50000000217

• Clonal Evolution and Blastic Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cell Neoplasm - Two Cases

  Here we present two case studies of sequential whole exome sequencing (WES) in patients, who both developed BPDCN throughout their medical history but primarily presented with lymphoid cancers (clonally related ALK-negative anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (ALCL) and T-lymphoblastic lymphoma (T-LBL)) and whose bone marrow at remission exhibited a CMML phenotype, from which in both cases BPDCN clones arose that subsequently became treatment refractory.

  Study EGAS50000000214

• Immune Biomarkers in Metastatic Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer

  Background: Metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) is a heterogeneous disease in which molecular stratification is needed to improve clinical outcomes. The identification of predictive biomarkers can have a major impact on the care of these patients, but the availability of metastatic tissue samples for research in this setting is limited. Objective: To study the prevalence of immune biomarkers of potential clinical utility to immunotherapy in mCRPC by tumour RNA sequencing, and to determine their association with overall survival (OS).

  Study EGAS50000001269

• single-cell RNA-Seq of colorectal cancer patient samples

  Study EGAS00001006665

• Dynamics of checkpoint receptors in γδ T cell subsets are associated with clinical responses during anti-PD-1 immunotherapies

  Gamma delta (γδ) T cells are innate-like lymphocytes with potent anti-tumor properties. Herein, we show that immune checkpoint receptors (ICRs) display differential expression and regulation by the JAK-STAT pathway in Vδ1 and Vδ2 cells and identify constitutive (e.g. TIGIT, PD-1) and inducible (e.g. TIM-3, LAG-3, CTLA-4) ICRs. In melanoma, all γδ T cell subsets downregulated AP-1 transcription factors, but Vδ1 cells specifically expressed high levels of ICR, TOX and inhibitory killer Ig-like receptor (KIR) transcripts, reminiscent of exhaustion. However, patient-derived cells were functionally competent, although induction of LAG-3 and CTLA-4 was impaired. During anti-PD-1 monotherapy, Vδ1 cells specifically bound high levels of therapeutic antibody but only in patients who responded to treatment, revealing a potential new prognostic marker for evaluating the efficacy of IC blockade (ICB) therapy. Finally, expression of KIR genes in Vδ1 cells was downregulated in response to successful ICB therapy. Collectively, our data indicate an intricate relationship between ICRs and γδ T cells and reveal novel approaches by which these cells can be harnessed in order to discern or improve cancer immunotherapy.

  Study EGAS50000001270

• Non-small cell lung cancer molecular subtypes and vulnerability to immunotherapy treatment combinations

  The phase 3 IMpower150 trial in treatment-naïve patients with metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) demonstrated significantly longer progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS) with first-line atezolizumab (anti-PD-L1)-bevacizumab (anti-VEGF)-carboplatin-paclitaxel (ABCP) than with bevacizumab-carboplatin-paclitaxel (BCP). We characterised four molecular NSCLC subtypes identified by unsupervised clustering of transcriptomes of 564 pre-treatment primary tumour samples from IMpower150 using non-negative matrix factorization (NMF1-4). Each subtype had distinct tumour PD-L1 expression levels, epithelial characteristics, immune composition, and treatment outcomes. Both NMF2 (enriched in tumour proliferation signal, macrophages, and monocytes) and NMF4 (enriched in B-cells and T cells) had elevated tumour PD-L1 expression. Of these two, only NMF4 demonstrated PFS and OS benefits with ABCP versus either BCP or atezolizumab-carboplatin-paclitaxel (ACP). Patients with NMF1 (enriched in basal and squamous-like cells) had improved outcomes on ABCP compared with ACP or BCP; those with NMF3 (enriched in adenocarcinoma signatures) showed similar outcomes among treatments. These insights could help inform individualised first-line treatment for metastatic NSCLC.

  Study EGAS50000001272

• Broad utility of ultrasensitive analysis of ctDNA dynamics across solid tumors treated with immunotherapy

  Plasma ctDNA sequencing data from samples collected from a pan-cancer cohort of patients with advanced-stage disease treated with IO therapies. This study highlights the broader applicability of ultrasensitive ctDNA as a biomarker across cancer types and immunotherapy modalities. Here, we applied a whole-genome, tumor-informed approach to study ctDNA in 202 advanced-stage cancer patients treated at VHIO. This study captures the plasma sequencing data from the project.

  Study EGAS50000001271

• BAP1 study

  Background: Mutations in BAP1 have been identified in many aggressive cancers. Current therapeutic strategies for BAP1-deficient tumors are not effective. Goal: Discover novel strategies for BAP1-deficient tumors. Details: In our study, we identified a potential therapeutic strategy for BAP1-deficient cancers. We used multi-omics approaches to understand the underlying mechanisms behind why the discovered potential therapeutic strategy is effective.

  Study EGAS50000000235

• DNA Replication Speed controls Epigenome Integrity and T Cell Fate

  Epigenetic mechanisms maintain cellular identities by enforcing stable, cell type-specific transcriptional programs while also allowing regulated plasticity for adaptations to environmental cues like differentiation signals. Dysregulation of this dual capacity has been linked to cancer and chronic inflammation, with the regulatory mechanisms remaining poorly understood. Here, we identify DNA replication speed as a physiological regulator controlling epigenome stability and plasticity. Using T-lymphocytes as a model, we demonstrate that fast DNA replication speed impaired epigenome stability, causing DNA methylation maintenance errors at cell type-specific enhancers and heterochromatin, ultimately leading to compromised cell function. However, accelerated DNA replication speed supported epigenome plasticity during differentiation, promoting successful cell-type transitions

  Study EGAS50000001273

• Oxel Pilot Study

  This pilot study will provide preliminary data regarding the role of a peripheral immunoscore (PIS) in predicting the benefit of immune checkpoint inhibition with or without chemotherapy for high risk patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and residual disease after effective neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

  Study EGAS50000000222

• A comprehensive proteogenomic pipeline for neoantigen discovery to advance personalized cancer immunotherapy

  The accurate identification and prioritization of antigenic peptides is crucial for the development of personalized cancer immunotherapies. Publicly available pipelines to predict clinical neoantigens do not allow direct integration of mass spectrometry immunopeptidomics data, which can uncover antigenic peptides derived from various canonical and non-canonical sources. To address this, we present an end-to-end clinical proteogenomic pipeline, called NeoDisc, that combines state-of-the-art publicly available and in-house software for immunopeptidomics, genomics and transcriptomics with in-silico tools for the identification, prediction, and prioritization of tumor-specific and immunogenic antigens from multiple sources, including neoantigens, viral antigens and high-confidence tumor-specific antigens.

  Study EGAS50000000228

• Liquid biopsy for molecular characterization of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and early assessment of minimal residual disease

  Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) allows genotyping and minimal residual disease (MRD) detection in lymphomas. Using a NGS approach (Euroclonality-NDC), we evaluated clinical and prognostic value of ctDNA in a series of R-CHOP-treated DLBCL patients at baseline (n=68) and after 2-cycles (n=59), monitored by metabolic imaging (PET/CT). A molecular marker was identified in 61/68 (90%) ctDNA samples at diagnosis. Pre-treatment high ctDNA levels significantly correlated with elevated LDH, advanced stage, high risk IPI and a trend to shorter 2-year PFS. Valuable NGS data after 2-cycles of treatment were obtained in 44 cases, and 38 achieved major molecular response (MMR; 2.5-log drop in ctDNA). PFS curves displayed statistically significant differences among those achieving MMR vs. those not achieving MMR (2yr PFS of 76% vs. 0%, p<0.001). Similarly, more than 66% reduction in SUVmax by PET/CT identified two subgroups with different prognosis (2yr PFS of 83% vs. 38%; p<0.001). Combining both approaches MMR and SUVmax reduction, a better stratification was observed (2yr PFS of 84% vs. 17% vs. 0%, p<0.001). Euroclonality-NDC panel allows the detection of a molecular marker in the ctDNA in 90% of DLBCL. ctDNA reduction at 2 cycles and its combination with interim PET results improves patient prognosis stratification.

  Study EGAS50000000215

• Neversmoker lung adenocarcinoma

  Non-small cell lung cancer whole genome sequencing We performed whole genome sequencing of Korean never-smoker lung adenocarcinoma patients to discover novel pathway except EGFR and ALK patients. We identified estrogen signaling as a novel enriched signaling. Lastly we validated the elevated estrogen signaling through immunohistochemistry experiment in some patients which increased signaling.

  Study EGAS50000000232

• Whole exome DNA sequence profiling of spatial biopsies of high grade serous epithelial ovarian cancer

  The study aims at dissecting the heterogeneity across multiple biopsies of high grade serous epithelial ovarian cancer (HGS-EOC) through a comprehensive characterization of variants and structural changes at the whole exome level. To this aim, the study uses samples from multiple bioptic sites taken from eight HGS-EOC patients.

  Study EGAS00001003048

• Transcriptomic characterization of the histopathological growth patterns in breast cancer liver metastases

  Characterizing transcriptommic profiles of the two main histopathological growth patterns in liver metastases in patients with breast cancer.

  Study EGAS50000000225

• Targeted re-sequencing of multi-region sampled tumors in PDAC

  Multi-region tumor samples were cut from frozen sections or FFPEs and reviewed from microdissection and H&E staining in order to select ones with high cellularity. DNA extraction was done using DNeasy Blood & Tissue Kits for frozen samples following the manufacturer’s guideline. Extracted DNAs were processed on an Illumina HiSeq 2500 in a paired end mode (100x100) using a custom targeted panel based on the list of all unique somatic mutations from the original WES data by the Integrated Genomics Operation (IGO) at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (New York, NY).

  Study EGAS50000000239

• Improved detection of colibactin-induced mutations by genotoxic E. coli in organoids and colorectal cancer

  Co-culture of intestinal organoids with a colibactin-producing pks+ E. coli strain (EcC) revealed mutational signatures also found in colorectal cancer (CRC). E. coli Nissle 1917 (EcN) remains a commonly used probiotic, despite harboring the pks operon and inducing double strand DNA breaks. We determine the mutagenicity of EcN and three CRC-derived pks+ E. coli strains with an analytical framework based on sequence characteristic of colibactin-induced mutations. All strains, including EcN, display varying levels of mutagenic activity. Furthermore, a machine learning approach attributing individual mutations to colibactin reveals that patients with colibactin-induced mutations are diagnosed at a younger age and that colibactin can induce a specific APC mutation. These approaches allow the sensitive detection of colibactin-induced mutations in ~12% of CRC genomes and even in whole exome sequencing data, representing a crucial step towards pinpointing the mutagenic activity of distinct pks+ E. coli strains.

  Study EGAS50000000212

• Detailed molecular and immune marker profiling of archival prostate cancer samples

  Study EGAS00001004396

• GBM stem cell lines and PRMT5 inhibitor

  Study EGAS00001004397

• Microdissection_sequencing_of_normal_human_prostate

  Histology sections from pathologically benign human prostates were prepared and microdissections retrieved from Laser-Capture Microdissection are submitted to low-input whole-genome sequencing.

  Study EGAS00001003049

• Prediction of plasma ctDNA fraction and prognostic implications of liquid biopsy in advanced prostate cancer

  No consensus strategies exist for prognosticating metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). Circulating tumor DNA fraction (ctDNA%) is increasingly reported by commercial and laboratory tests but its utility for risk stratification is unclear. Here, we intersect ctDNA%, treatment outcomes, and clinical characteristics across 738 plasma samples from 491 male mCRPC patients from two randomized multicentre phase II trials and a prospective province-wide blood biobanking program. ctDNA% correlates with serum and radiographic metrics of disease burden and is highest in patients with liver metastases. ctDNA% strongly predicts overall survival, progression-free survival, and treatment response independent of therapeutic context and outperformed established prognostic clinical factors. Recognizing that ctDNA-based biomarker genotyping is limited by low ctDNA% in some patients, we leverage the relationship between clinical prognostic factors and ctDNA% to develop a clinically-interpretable machine learning tool that predicts whether a patient has sufficient ctDNA% for informative ctDNA genotyping (available online: https://www.ctDNA.org). Our results affirm ctDNA% as an actionable tool for patient risk stratification and provide a practical framework for optimized biomarker testing.

  Study EGAS50000000211

• Sensitive circulating tumor DNA based residual disease detection in epithelial ovarian cancer

  In this study we implemented a circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) based blood test for more accurate post-operative surveillance of this disease. We analyzed 264 plasma samples collected between June 2016 and September 2021 from 63 epithelial ovarian cancer patients using tumor-guided plasma cell-free DNA analysis to detect residual disease after treatment. Assay specificity was verified using cross-patient analysis of 1195 control samples.

  Study EGAS50000000245

• RNA sequencing of serial samples from patients enrolled in the NA-PHER2 trial

  Improved outcomes in HER2+ breast cancer have resulted from chemotherapy and anti-HER2 therapies. However, HER2+ER+ cancers exhibit lower response rates. The NA-PHER2 trial investigated chemo-free preoperative HER2 and CDK4/6 blockade with or without endocrine therapy in HER2+ER+ breast cancer. Through RNA sequencing and tumour infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) assessment in serial biopsies we identified predictive biomarkers of pCR, Day 14 Ki67 response, and unveiled treatment-induced molecular changes.

  Study EGAS50000000248

• Localised colon cancer WES study contaning WBCs, tissue and plasma samples at different time points

  Decision-making based on circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) status following curative-intent surgery in stage II-III colon cancer (CC) is where the strongest clinical evidence lies. Commercial or academic assays are predominantly used to detect ctDNA, aiming to reveal minimal residual disease (MRD) and identify patients at high risk of recurrence. However, while current tests demonstrate exceptional specificity in detecting MRD among patients who later experience recurrence, their sensitivity is notably limited, particularly immediately after surgery when decisions regarding ACT are crucial. Additionally, up to 70% of patients with stage II-III colon cancer fail to clear ctDNA after standard adjuvant treatment (ACT) and subsequently experience recurrence. In this study, we performed whole exome sequencing (WES) of ctDNA at different timepoints in relapsed CC patients using two independent cohorts, alongside transcriptomic and proteomic analyses of metastases to gain a deeper understanding of progression mechanisms. An assay based on a tumor-agnostic approach from WES could enhance sensitivity in detecting MRD disease compared to current assays. Immune evasion appears to be the primary driver of progression in the localized CC setting, facilitated by a functional mutational burden at relapse. This suggests that immunotherapy could extend its efficacy to patients with microsatellite stability, broadening treatment options. Moreover, organoid modeling affirms the promising potential of targeted therapy to surpass conventional treatments in eradicating MRD.

  Study EGAS50000000204

• Panel sequencing of endocrine-resistant breast cancer

  Patients with endocrine-resistant breast cancer in Stockholm Sweden. DNA obtained from patients primary and relapse tumors, and tumor-free lymph nodes used as germline control. DNA was extracted from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue and sequenced by 370-gene panel-based sequencing with Kapa HyperPlus library preparation and Twist Bioscience hybrid capture. Custom bait sets (panels) from Twist Bioscience. Paired end 2x150 bp using NovaSeq X. The data is presented as fastq-files.

  Study EGAS50000000236

• Accelerated single cell seeding in relapsed multiple myeloma

  Study EGAS00001004404

• A fast, affordable and minimally-invasive diagnostic test for Cancer of Unknown Primary (CUP) using DNA methylation profiling

  CUP diagnosis on FFPE tissue and liquid biopsies (blood, pleural and peritoneal effusions) using cfRRBS (cell-free reduced representation bisulfite sequencing), a technique that allows for identification of the methylation profile starting from minimal amounts of highly fragmented DNA.

  Study EGAS50000000257

• DNTR sequencing data of paediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia

  This study used the DNTR-seq method in leukaemia samples to profile the whole-genome and mRNA jointly in single cells. Direct tagmentation is used in a collection of single-cell whole genome sequencing (scWGS) methods, including DNTR-seq, which provide high quality data at ultra-low to low coverage. The overall goal was to characterize the genetic and transcriptional heterogeneity of cancer samples. To infer clonal structure and evolutionary history, copy number analysis based workflows were implemented. Bone marrow mononuclear cells from pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia samples were FACS sorted into 384 plates to generate the DNA and RNA profiles.

  Study EGAS50000001247

• Whole exome sequencing of small cell neuroendocrine cancer of the cervix

  In order to improve treatment selection for high grade neuroendocrine carcinomas of the cervix (NECC), we performed a comparative genomic analysis between this rare tumor type and other cervical cancer types, as well as extra-cervical neuroendocrine small cell carcinomas of the lung and bladder. We performed whole exome sequencing on fresh-frozen tissue from 15 NECCs and matched normal tissue. We then identified mutations and copy number variants using standard analysis pipelines. Published mutation tables from cervical cancers and extra-cervical small cell carcinomas were used for comparative analysis. Descriptive statistical methods were used and a two-sided threshold of P &lt; .05 was used for significance. In the NECC cohort, we detected a median of 1.7 somatic mutations per megabase (range 1.0-20.9). PIK3CA p.E545K mutations were the most frequency observed oncogenic mutation (4/15 tumors, 27%). Activating MAPK pathway mutations in KRAS (p.G12D) and GNAS (p.R201C) co-occurred in two tumors (13%). In total we identified PI3-kinase or MAPK pathway activating mutations in 67% of NECC. When compared to NECC, lung and bladder small cell carcinomas exhibited a statistically significant higher rate of coding mutations (P &lt; .001 for lung; P = .001 for bladder). Mutation of TP53 was uncommon in NECC (13%) and was more frequent in both lung (103 of 110 tumors [94%], P &lt; .001) and bladder (18 of 19 tumors [95%], P &lt; .001) small cell carcinoma. These comparative genomics data suggest that NECC may be genetically more similar to common cervical cancer subtypes than to extra-cervical small cell neuroendocrine carcinomas of the lung and bladder. These results may have implications for the selection of cytotoxic and targeted therapy regimens for this rare disease.

  Study EGAS00001003142

• Mutational_Analysis_of_Colorectal_PDX_models

  Targeted exome sequencing of patient derived xenografts from primary colorectal tumours and liver metastases.

  Study EGAS00001001171

• The polarity and specificity of antiviral T lymphocyte responses determine susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection in cancer patients and healthy individuals.

  The goal of this study was to identify immune correlates of clinical protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection.

  Study EGAS00001005985

• Homopolymer switches mediate adaptive mutability in mismatch repair-deficient colorectal cancer

  Mismatch repair (MMR) deficient cancer evolves through the continuous erosion of coding homopolymers in target genes. Curiously, the MMR genes MSH6 and MSH3 also contain coding homopolymers and these are frequent mutational targets in MMR-deficient cancers. The impact of incremental MMR mutations on MMR-deficient colorectal cancer evolution is unknown. We show that microsatellite instability modulates DNA repair by toggling hypermutable mononucleotide homopolymer runs in MSH6 and MSH3 through stochastic frameshift switching. Spontaneous mutation and reversion modulates subclonal mutation rate, mutation bias, and clonal HLA and neoantigen diversity. Patient-derived organoids corroborate these observations and show that in the absence of immune selection MMR homopolymer sequences drift back into reading frame, suggesting a fitness cost of elevated mutation rates. Combined experimental and simulation studies demonstrate that subclonal immune selection favours incremental MMR mutations. Overall, our data demonstrate that MMR-deficient colorectal cancers fuel intratumour heterogeneity by adapting subclonal mutation rate and diversity to immune selection.

  Study EGAS50000000297

• CD8-targeted IL-2 unleashes tumor-specific immunity in human cancer tissue by reviving the dysfunctional T cell pool

  Tumor-specific CD8+ T cells are key effectors of antitumor immunity but are often rendered dysfunctional in the tumor microenvironment. Immune checkpoint blockade can restore antitumor T cell function in some patients, however most do not respond to this therapy, often despite T cell infiltration in their tumors. We here explored a CD8-targeted IL-2 fusion molecule (CD8-IL2) to selectively reactivate intratumoral CD8+ T cells in patient-derived tumor fragments. Treatment with CD8-IL2 broadly armed intratumoral CD8+ T cells with enhanced effector capacity, thereby specifically enabling reinvigoration of the dysfunctional T cell pool to elicit potent immune activity. Notably, the revival of dysfunctional T cells to mediate effector activity by CD8-IL2 depended on simultaneous antigen recognition and was quantitatively and qualitatively superior to that achieved by PD-1 blockade. Finally, CD8-IL2 was able to functionally reinvigorate T cells in tumors resistant to anti-PD-1, underscoring its potential as a novel treatment strategy for cancer patients.

  Study EGAS00001007712

• BRCA1 secondary splice-site mutations

  BRCA1 splice isoforms d11 and d11q can contribute to PARP inhibitor (PARPi) resistance by splicing-out mutation-containing exons, producing truncated, partially-functional proteins. However, the clinical impact and underlying drivers of BRCA1 exon skipping remain undetermined. We analyzed nine ovarian and breast cancer patient derived xenografts (PDX) with BRCA1 exon 11 frameshift mutations for splice isoform expression and therapy response.

  Study EGAS50000000022

• WGS of cord blood hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells

  In this study, the mutational effects of prenatal chemotherapy exposure on cord blood hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells was investigated in cord blood samples taken from 10 healthy pregnant women, 4 pregnant cancer patients receiving no systemic anti-cancer treatment during pregnancy and 12 pregnant cancer patients receiving chemotherapy during pregnancy. Sequencing was performed on Illumina platforms.

  Study EGAS50000000288

• STM4 - Mouliere et al, 2018. Enhanced detection of circulating tumor DNA by fragment size analysis

  Study EGAS00001004418

• Somatic mutations of non-malignant T cells

  Somatic mutations in T cells can cause cancer but also have implications for immunological diseases and cell therapies. The mutation spectrum in non-malignant T cells is unclear. Here, we examined somatic mutations in CD4+ and CD8+ T cells from 90 patients with hematological and immunological disorders and used T cell receptor (TCR) and single-cell sequencing to link mutations with T cell expansions and phenotypes. CD8+ cells had higher mutation burden than CD4+ cells. Notably, the biggest variant allele frequency (VAF) of non-synonymous variants was higher than synonymous variants in CD8+ T cells, indicating non-random occurrence. The non-synonymous VAF in CD8+ T cells strongly correlated with the TCR frequency, but not age. We identified mutations in pathways essential for T cell function and often affected in lymphoid neoplasia. Single-cell sequencing revealed cytotoxic Temra phenotypes of mutated T cells. Our findings suggest that somatic mutations contribute to CD8+ T cell expansions without malignant transformation.

  Study EGAS50000000237

• INTEGRATIVE MOLECULAR ANALYSIS OF SKIN TUMORS FROM CYLD CUTANEOUS SYNDROME PATIENTS

  CYLD cutaneous syndrome (CCS) is a rare autosomal dominant disorder characterized by germline CYLD mutations and by multiple benign skin tumors dependent on NF-kB pathway. We assembled a large cohort of CCS rare skin tumors that was profiled with whole exome or genome sequencing, RNA sequencing and methylation arrays to better understand genetic mechanisms of CCS tumorogenesis.

  Study EGAS50000000247

• Comprehensive peripheral blood immunoprofiling reveals five immunotypes with immunotherapy response characteristics in cancer patients

  The lack of comprehensive diagnostics and consensus analytical models for evaluating the status of a patient’s immune system has hindered a wider adoption of immunoprofiling for treatment monitoring and response prediction in cancer patients. To address this unmet need, we developed an immunoprofiling platform that uses multiparameter flow cytometry and RNA-seq to characterize immune cell heterogeneity in the peripheral blood of healthy donors and patients with advanced cancers. Using unsupervised clustering, we identified five immunotypes with unique distributions of different cell types, and gene expression profiles.

  Study EGAS50000000286

• Molecular underpinnings of dedifferentiation and aggressiveness in chromophobe renal cell carcinoma

  This study expands our understanding of aggressive chromophobe renal cell carcinoma (ChRCC), provides insight into molecular mechanisms of tumor progression, and informs pathologic classification and diagnostics. Tumor and adjacent normal samples were collected from 11 patients treated in affiliated hospitals of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (UTSW), including Parkland Hospital. Seven of the eleven patients consented to depositing their genomic data to public repository.

  Study EGAS50000000287

• Whole Genome Sequencing of HER2-Positive Metastatic Extramammary Paget’s Disease: A Case Report

  Extramammary Paget’s disease (EMPD) is a rare cancer that occurs within the epithelium of the skin. Whole genome sequencing of the tumor and matched blood was performed. Whole genome sequencing revealed the underlying copy number variation landscape in HER2-positive metastatic EMPD. The presence of alternative signalling pathways and genetic variants suggests potential interactions with HER2 signalling, which possibly contributed to the HER2 overexpression and observed response to HER2-directed therapy combined with other agents in a comprehensive treatment regimen.

  Study EGAS50000000243

• Whole Exome Sequencing of 60 tumor/normal matched liver Cancers (HCC)

  The French ICGC project on liver tumors is coordinated by Pr Jessica Zucman-Rossi and funded by Inca (French Institute for Cancer). The aim of the present project is to identify the catalog of somatic and germline mutations in liver tumors using whole genome (WGS) and whole exome sequencing (WGS), integrated with DNA methylation and RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data. The present series corresponds to 60 whole exome tumor/normal pairs with matched RNA-seq. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) accounts for more than 90% of liver cancers, and is a major health problem. It is the 3rd cause of cancer-related mortality. Advances in genomic analyses have formed a comprehensive understanding of different underlying pathobiological layers resulting in hepatocarcinogenesis. Thus, the development of next-generation sequencing technologies has made it possible to generate more comprehensive catalogues of somatic alteration events (single nucleotide substitutions, structural variations, and epigenetic changes) in liver cancer genome than ever before.

  Study EGAS00001003063

• Heterogeneity and evolution of DNA mutation rates in microsatellite-stable colorectal cancer

  A mutation accumulation experiment in colorectal cancer (CRC) derived tumoroids, aimed at measuring the spontaneous rates of accumulation of new single-nucleotide sequence variations in seven microsatellite stable CRCs and one microsatellite unstable CRC. Mutations accumulated over six+six months were identified via whole genome sequencing of clonal tumoroids.

  Study EGAS50000000284