6052 results for "canc*"

in 69.93 milliseconds.

• Cohort-Based Genome-Wide Association Study of Glioma (GliomaScan)

  We conducted a new independent GWAS of adult glioma using 1,856 cases and 4,955 controls from 14 cohort studies belonging to the Cohort Consortium, 3 case-control studies, and 1 population-based case only study. Cases were newly diagnosed glioma [ICDO-3 codes 9380-9480 or equivalent], and controls were cancer-free at the time of glioma diagnosis. We found evidence of strong replication for three of the seven previously reported associations at 20q13.33 (RTEL), 5p15.33 (TERT), and 9p21.3 (CDKN2BAS), and consistent association signals for the remaining four at 7p11.2 (EGFR both loci), 8q24.21 (CCDC26) and 11q23.3 (PHLDB1). The direction and magnitude of the signal were consistent for samples from cohort and case-control studies, but the strength of the association was more pronounced for loci rs6010620 (20q,13.33; RTEL) and rs2736100 (5p15.33, TERT) in cohort studies despite the smaller number of cases in this group, likely due to higher grade tumors being captured in the cohort studies. Our findings suggest that larger studies focusing on novel approaches as well as specific tumor subtypes or subgroups will be required to identify additional common susceptibility loci for glioma risk.

  Study phs000652

• African American Breast Cancer GWAS

  The GWAS includes African American participants from 9 epidemiological studies of breast cancer, comprising a total of 3,153 cases and 2,831 controls (cases/controls: The Multiethnic Cohort Study (MEC), 734/1,003; The Los Angeles component of The Women's Contraceptive and Reproductive Experiences (CARE) Study, 380/224; The Women's Circle of Health Study (WCHS), 272/240; The San Francisco Bay Area Breast Cancer Study (SFBCS), 172/231; The Northern California Breast Cancer Family Registry (NC-BCFR), 440/53;The Carolina Breast Cancer Study (CBCS), 656/608; The Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial (PLCO) Cohort, 64/133; The Nashville Breast Health Study (NBHS), 310/186; and, The Wake Forest University Breast Cancer Study (WFBC), 125/153). Quality control of the GWAS data and additional details can be found in Chen et al. Hum Genet. 2013 (PMID: 22923054)

  Study phs000851

• Epigenetic Mechanisms of Inflammation and Fatigue in Head and Neck Cancer

  This was a longitudinal observational study to examine the association between fatigue and DNA methylation as well as gene expression among patients with head and neck cancer. Demographic and clinical variables were collected before chemoradiotherapy and/or at follow-up visits as appropriate. Fatigue was assessed and biosamples (for DNA methylation and gene expression) were collected before, immediately after, and at six- and twelve-months post-chemoradiotherapy.

  Study phs002106

• Sequencing to Guide Cancer Care (CanSeq)

  The overall goal of the CanSeq U01 project is to study the impact of whole-exome sequencing (WES) on the clinical care of cancer patients and oncology provider practices. The aims of Project 1 are to implement and establish the feasibility of germline and somatic WES in patients with advanced solid tumors (lung and colon); to develop a framework for interpreting and reporting for exome sequencing data; to determine the proportion of patients with "actionable items" compared to existing technologies; and to report on the percentage of patients in whom unique WES findings led to a clinical action. The aims of Project 2 are to implement a production-scale platform for WES from archival (FFPE) material; to identify biologically relevant somatic and germline alterations existing in tumor/normal DNA from individual patients; to produce an evidence-based list of clinically "actionable" genetic alterations; and to develop inferential models that predict the utility of tumor genomic data within the larger clinical context. The goals of Project 3 are to describe the impact of information derived through WES on cancer patients; to test the hypothesis that patients will want to receive information about all potentially informative somatic and germline variants; to study patients' understanding of disclosed genomic information; and to describe the experiences of oncology providers as they implement WES into cancer care delivery.

  Study phs001075

• Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI) Wu Lab/Avicenne CLL RNA-Seq Study

  Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) is a hematological malignancy characterized by accumulation of CD5+ B cells in peripheral lymphoid organs, bone marrow and blood. Recently, the advent of large-scale whole-exome sequencing of hundreds of CLL samples has led to gain a comprehensive understanding of the mutational landscape of this clonal B cell malignancy, but the functional effects of the putative driver mutations thus discovered are largely unknown. In this study, we analyze RNA-seq data from CLL patients to characterize dysregulated biological pathways regarding the presence of recurrent mutations. Source of tumor is patients' PBMC isolated from peripheral blood using the Ficoll method. Purity was confirmed using flow cytometry flow (>80% in all cases).

  Study phs002335

• Genomic Sequencing of Cervical Cancers

  Cervical cancer is responsible for 10-15% of cancer related deaths in women worldwide. The etiological role of infection with high-risk human papilloma viruses (HPV) in carcinomas of the cervix is well established. In general, the development of cervical carcinomas follows a progression from persistent HPV infection through precancerous lesions to invasive cancer. Previous studies have implicated somatic mutations in PIK3CA, PTEN, TP53, STK11 and KRAS as well as chromosome-arm level copy number alterations in the pathogenesis of cervical carcinomas. Here, we report whole exome sequencing analysis of 118 cervical carcinoma-normal paired samples from patients in Norway and Mexico, as well as transcriptome sequencing of 80 cases and whole genome sequencing of 13 tumor-normal pairs. Novel somatic mutations include recurrent E322K substitutions in the MAPK1 gene encoding the ERK2 kinase and inactivating mutations in the HLA-B gene. In addition, recurrent somatic mutations in FBXW7, EP300, and NFE2L2 are novel in the context of primary cervical carcinomas. Analysis of HPV integration sites revealed recurrent integration into the RAD51B locus as well as co-occurrence of HPV genome integration and copy number gains within several genomic loci. These findings shed new light on the pathogenesis of cervical carcinomas and suggest potential novel therapeutic targets.

  Study phs000600

• Identification of Targetable FGFR Gene Fusions in Diverse Cancers

  In this study, patients with advanced cancer across all histologies were enrolled in our IRB approved clinical sequencing program, called MI-ONCOSEQ, to go through an integrative sequencing which includes whole exome sequencing of the tumor and matched normal, and transcriptome sequencing. Four index cases were identified which harbor gene rearrangements of FGFR2 including two cholangiocarcinoma cases, a metastatic breast cancer case, and a metastatic prostate cancer case. After extending our assessment of FGFR rearrangements across multiple tumor cohorts, including TCGA, we identified FGFR gene fusions with intact kinase domains of FGFR1, FGFR2, or FGFR3 in cholangiocarcinoma, breast cancer, prostate cancer, lung squamous cell cancer, bladder cancer, thyroid cancer, oral cancer, glioblastoma, and head and neck squamous cell cancer. All FGFR fusion partners tested exhibit oligomerization capability, suggesting a shared mode of kinase activation. Overexpression of FGFR fusion proteins in vitro induced cell proliferation, and bladder cancer cell lines that harbors FGFR3 fusion proteins exhibited enhanced susceptibility to pharmacologic inhibition in vitro and in vivo. Due to the combinatorial possibilities of FGFR family fusion to a variety of oligomerization partners, clinical sequencing efforts which incorporate transcriptome analysis for gene fusions are poised to identify rare, targetable FGFR fusions across diverse cancer types.

  Study phs000602

• The Ultrasound Study of Tamoxifen

  The Ultrasound Study of Tamoxifen is a 12-month longitudinal study to describe volumetric breast density change over time among women with and without tamoxifen exposure. Women were enrolled at the Karmanos Cancer Institute and Henry Ford Health Systems in Detroit, Michigan between 2011-2014. Enrollment included women prescribed tamoxifen for clinical indication (n=82) and a comparison group of women frequency matched on age, race, and menopausal status (n=165). Whole breast ultrasound tomography (UST) scans were used to measure volume averaged sound speed (m/s) as a surrogate of volumetric breast density. Ultrasound tomography (UST) scans were completed at baseline prior to tamoxifen initiation and were repeated at 1-3 months, 4-6 months, and 12 months after tamoxifen initiation. For the comparison group, UST scans were completed at baseline and 12 months. Questionnaires were completed at each scan.

  Study phs003183

• Understanding the Progression of Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

  This study is to understand (1) the clonal evolution of metastatic colorectal cancer using DNA sequencing and (2) long non-coding RNAs associated with metastatic colon cancer using RNA sequencing. Our goal is to better understand the progression of aggressive colorectal cancer.

  Study phs001722

• The Effect of the Menstrual Cycle on DNA Expression in the Normal Human Breast Epithelium

  The Susan G. Komen for the Cure® Tissue Bank at the IU Simon Cancer Center [www.komentissuebank.iu.edu] (KTB) was established expressly for the prospective collection of normal, healthy breast tissue from volunteer donors. Blood is also obtained from donors at the time of donation and is processed for serum, plasma and peripheral blood leukocyte DNA. Specimens are annotated and data includes age, race, ethnicity, personal health history, family cancer history, medication usage at the time of donation, and breast cancer risk factors. Premenopausal donors to the KTB were identified by a query of the Bank's database. Hematoxylin and eosin stained sections of the formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue of the identified donors were reviewed and tissue was graded on the basis of the abundance of epithelium within the section. Only tissue containing abundant epithelium was considered for this study. Based on dates, the specimens of nine women in the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle and five in the luteal phase were chosen. Six donors using hormonal contraception at the time of donation were also included. Whole blood obtained from 19 of the 20 donors at the time of tissue donation was available and it was processed for serum. Estradiol, estriol, luteinizing hormone and progesterone concentrations were determined by the Indiana University Health Pathology Laboratory using a Beckman Unicel DxI 800 Immunoassay System. The phase of the menstrual cycle was verified by serum progesterone concentration. The epithelium of these 20 specimens was microdissected from multiple 8 micron frozen tissue sections. Total RNA extracted from the tissue was subsequently depleted of rRNA via locked nucleic acid probes. This enabled profiling of both poly-A and non-poly-A RNA species. Barcoded cDNA libraries from the 20 normal breast epithelia were prepared and sequenced on an Applied Biosystems (AB) SOLiD3 or SOLiD 4 platform. RNA-seq reads for each sample were then mapped to the human genome (hg19) using the LifeScope software version 2.5.1 (Life Technologies, Foster City, CA) and BAM (Binary Alignment/Map) files generated. Read counts for each gene were derived from the output BAM files using the RefSeq database (UCSC Genome Brower) as the gene model.

  Study phs000644

• Genome-Wide Discovery of Novel Breast Cancer Predisposing Mutations

  Cancer risk shows clear heritability, but the inherited genetic factors remain largely unknown. This project will seek to identify new genes in which mutations confer hereditary risk for early onset breast cancer, with important implications for both biological understanding and clinical prediction and prevention. Identifying cancer predisposing mutations can provide new biological insights and significantly impact important clinical decision making regarding treatment, surveillance and preventive approaches. Examples include the BRCA1 breast cancer susceptibility gene, which affects treatment decisions (surgical management), surveillance (frequent breast MRI) and prevention (oophorectory for prevention of ovarian cancer). Hereditary early onset breast cancer patients commonly present to Cancer Genetics clinics, but the majority of these patients do not have identifiable mutations in known candidate genes. Here, we will perform whole exome sequencing to discover novel cancer susceptibility genes. The patients have been recruited from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (PIs Kenneth Offit and Zsofia Stadler) and Massachusetts General Hospital (PI Daniel Haber). All exome sequencing was performed at the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT; samples sequence capture was performed using Agilent SureSelect Human All Exon Kit v2 and sequencing was performed on an Illumina HiSeq 2000 or 2500.

  Study phs000822

• High-Risk Breast Cancer GWAS

  The GWAS includes High Risk Women from the following epidemiological studies of breast cancer, comprising a total of 3,719 cases and 3,642 controls (cases/controls: MEC, 0/200; ABCFR, 326/418; FCCC, 56/3; BCFR-UT, 66/32; CNIO-BC, 87/92; GESBC, 65/0; LIFE, 164/0; MARIE, 41/105; MAYO, 208/210; MNYR, 293/409; MSKCC, 310/0; NC-BCFR, 234/233; OFBCR, 553/560; POSH, 377/0; HBOC, 47/47; BBCS, 612/1333; UPENN, 280/0 This study was funded by a grant CA165038 to Christopher Haiman (University of Southern California) and John Hopper (University of Melbourne) from the National Cancer Institute, National Institute of Health. The contributing studies: Multiethnic Cohort (MEC). This study was supported by grant UM1 CA164973 from the National Cancer Institute, National Institute of Health. Ontario Familial Breast Cancer Registry, the Ontario site of the Breast Cancer Family Registry Cohort (OFBCR). This study was supported by grant UM1 CA164920 from the National Cancer Institute. Utah Breast Cancer Family Registry (BCFR-UT). This study was supported by grant UM1 CA164920 from the National Cancer Institute. New York site of the Breast Cancer Family Registry (MNYR). This study was supported by grant UM1 CA164920 from the National Cancer Institute. Northern California site of the Breast Cancer Family Registry (NC-BCFR). This study was supported by grant UM1 CA164920 from the National Cancer Institute. Australian Breast Cancer Family Registry (ABCFR). This study was supported by grant UM1 CA164920 from the National Cancer Institute. Breast Cancer Study (CNIO-BC). This study has been partially funded by The Spanish Network on Rare Diseases (CIBERER) and the Spanish National Genotyping Center (CEGEN). Genetic Epidemiologic Study of Breast Cancer (GESBC). The GESBC was supported by the Deutsche Krebshilfe e. V. [70492] and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ). Mammary Carcinoma Risk Factor Study (MARIE). This study was supported by the Deutsche Krebshilfe e.V. [70-2892-BR I, 106332, 108253, 108419], the Hamburg Cancer Society, the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) Germany [01KH0402]. Prospective study of Outcomes in Sporadic versus Hereditary breast cancer (POSH). Funding for the POSH study was provided by Cancer Research UK (grant refs A7572, A11699, C22524), the Breast Cancer Campaign (grant number: 2013MayPR044) and from 2003-2006 by a grant from The Wessex Cancer Trust. Prospective study of Outcomes in Sporadic versus Hereditary breast cancer (POSH). Funding for the POSH study was provided by Cancer Research UK (grant refs A7572, A11699, C22524), the Breast Cancer Campaign (grant number: 2013MayPR044) and from 2003-2006 by a grant from The Wessex Cancer Trust. Hereditary Breast and ovarian Cancer: Genetic and Molecular Studies (HBOC). This study was supported by National Cancer Institute grant CA58860 and The Lon V Smith Foundation: LVSF-44528. Mayo Clinic inherited breast and ovarian cancer study (MAYO). This study was supported by the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, NIH grants CA192393, CA176785, and an NIH CA116201 Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE) in Breast Cancer. British Breast Cancer Study (BBCS); Mammographic oestrogens and growth factor study (MOG). The BBCS and the MOG study are funded by Cancer Research UK and Breakthrough Breast Cancer and acknowledge NHS funding to the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, and the National Cancer Research Network (NCRN). Genotyping of non-BRCA1/2 mutation carriers (UPENN). The study is supported by the Basser Research Center at the University of Pennsylvania, Rooney Family Foundation, NIH grants CA176785 and CA192393, the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, the Susan G. Komen Foundation for the Cure and Macdonald Family Foundation. Clinical Significance of Germline BRCA Mutations (MSKCC). The study is supported by the Robert and Kate Niehaus Clinical Cancer Genetics Research Initiative, The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, and the Cancer Center Support Grant from the National Institute of Health, National Cancer Institute 5P30 CA08748-40. Women's Learning the Influence of Family and Environment (LIFE). This study was supported by grants CA17054 and CA74847 from the National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, No. 4PB-0092 from the California Breast Cancer Research Program of the University of California. Philadelphia site of the Breast Cancer Family Registry at Fox Chase Cancer Center (FCCC). This study is supported by NIH grant CA164920.

  Study phs000929

• Health Professionals Follow-Up Study

  Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS) is a prospective cohort study of men designed to evaluate hypotheses about men’s health related to diet and lifestyle to the incidence of serious illnesses, such as cancer, heart disease, and other vascular diseases. It consisted of 51,529 U.S. male health professionals who were 40-75 years old at baseline in 1986 and completed a mailed six-page baseline questionnaire. Information on age, height and weight, ancestry, medications, disease history, physical activity, lifestyle factors, and diet were gathered, with follow-up questionnaires sent biennially to update information and record health outcomes with every four years to update their diet. This datafile includes responses to the 2016 questionnaire, which is available at: https://cdn1.sph.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/2471/2017/09/16L.pdf

  Study phs002460

• Genomic Landscape of High-Grade Neuroendocrine Neoplasms

  This project is a multi-omics study of high grade (grade 3) neuroendocrine neoplasms across diverse organs. Genomic analysis using low-pass whole genome sequencing for copy number analysis, whole exome sequencing and whole transcriptomic sequencing using RNAseq were performed. As high grade neuroendocrine neoplasms are highly lethal with a median survival of approximately 7 months, new insights are urgently needed for better prognosis, diagnosis and management. This study focuses on gene and pathway discoveries in this cancer, and includes samples from a diverse set of organs, including the lungs, gastroenteropancreatic tract, breast, prostate, head and neck and bladder. This study was made possible by a generous donation from The Helen B. Rodde Fund.

  Study phs002070

• Kids First: Pediatric Research Project on Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis

  Both childhood cancers and structural birth defects are critical and costly conditions associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. Elucidating the underlying genetic etiology of these diseases has the potential to profoundly improve preventative measures, diagnostics, and therapeutic interventions. For the current study, families with inherited adolescent idiopathic scoliosis were included. Both affected and unaffected family members were included.

  Study phs001410

• Germline Sequencing for Aggressive Prostate Carcinoma

  This study aims to elucidate the genetic determinants of susceptibility to aggressive prostate carcinoma. To this end, germ line whole exome sequence has been generated from patients with aggressive prostate cancer. Whole genome sequence for a representative subset of tumors from patients whose cancer was resistant to primary therapy is included as well. This deep genomic interrogation will allow the identification of rare, functionally disruptive variants that may play a role in disease progession and response to treatment.

  Study phs000661

• CALGB 40601: Randomized Phase III Trial of Paclitaxel Combined With Trastuzumab, Lapatinib, or Both As Neoadjuvant Treatment of HER2-Positive Primary Breast Cancer

  This randomized phase III trial studies paclitaxel and trastuzumab with or without lapatinib to see how well they work in treating patients with stage II or stage III breast cancer that can be removed by surgery. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as paclitaxel, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. Monoclonal antibodies, such as trastuzumab, can block tumor growth in different ways. Some block the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Others find tumor cells and help kill them or carry tumor-killing substances to them. Lapatinib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Giving paclitaxel with trastuzumab and/or lapatinib before surgery may make the tumor smaller and reduce the amount of normal tissue that needs to be removed. It is not yet known which regimen is more effective in treating patients with breast cancer.

  Study phs001570

• Aspirin and Inflammation: Mutations, Genes, Pathways and Prevention in Barrett's Esophagus

  Background: Use of aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) has been shown to protect against tetraploidy, aneuploidy, and chromosomal alterations in the metaplastic condition Barrett's esophagus (BE) and to lower the incidence and mortality of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EA). The esophagus is exposed to both intrinsic and extrinsic mutagens resulting from gastric reflux, chronic inflammation and exposure to environmental carcinogens such as those found in cigarettes. Here we test the hypothesis that NSAID use inhibits accumulation of point mutations/indels during somatic genomic evolution in BE. Methods: Whole exome sequences were generated from 82 purified epithelial biopsies and paired blood samples from a cross-sectional study of 41 NSAID users and 41 nonusers matched by sex, age, smoking, and continuous time using or not using NSAIDs. Results: NSAID use reduced overall frequency of point mutations across the spectrum of mutation types, lowered the frequency of mutations even when adjusted for both TP53 mutation and smoking status, and decreased the prevalence of clones with high variant allele frequency. Never smokers who consistently used NSAIDs had fewer point mutations in signature 17, which is commonly found in EA. NSAID users had on average a 50% reduction in functional gene mutations in nine cancer-associated pathways and also had less diversity in pathway mutational burden compared to nonusers. Conclusions: These results indicate NSAID use functions to limit overall mutations on which selection can act and supports a model in which specific mutant cell populations survive or expand better in the absence of NSAIDs. Galipeau PC, et al. Genome Med. 2018 Feb 27;10(1):17. PMID: 29486792.

  Study phs001654

• CALGB 80303:Genome-Wide Association Study of Advanced Pancreatic Cancer Patients - A Randomized Phase III trial of Gemcitabine Plus Bevacizumab versus Gemcitabine Plus Placebo in Patients with Advanced Pancreatic Cancer

  CALGB 80303 was a randomized, phase III study in advanced pancreatic cancer patients treated with Gemcitabine plus either Bevacizumab or placebo. No difference in overall survival (OS) was observed between the two arms. We prospectively collected germline DNA and conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS).

  Study phs000250

• Transcriptomic Profiling of Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

  The study is a retrospective transcriptomic profiling of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. The pathologic database was queried for squamous cell carcinoma tumors originating from the anatomic oropharynx (tonsil or tongue base) with available samples from surgical archives. This retrospective RNA sequencing cohort included cases dating prior to the routine implementation of p16 immunohistochemistry (IHC) testing at our institution, therefore, p16 status was not required for inclusion in this study. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue samples were sent to the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center (LCCC) Translational Genomics Lab (TGL) for RNA isolation using the Maxwell 16 MDx Instrument (Promega AS3000) and the Maxwell 16 LEV RNA FFPE Kit (Promega AS1260) following the manufacturer's protocol (Promega 9FB167). After a pathology review of a hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stained slides to identify tumor area, RNA was extracted from unstained slides using macrodissection. Total RNA quality was measured using a NanoDrop spectrophotometer (Thermo Scientific ND-2000C) and a TapeStation 4200 (Agilent G2991AA). Total RNA concentration was quantified using a Qubit 3.0 fluorometer (Life Technologies Q33216). Libraries were prepared with Illumina TruSeq Stranded Total RNA with Ribo-Zero protocol. Libraries were sequenced on an Illumina HiSeq2500 sequencer. Paired end read data, with read lengths of 75 were collected.

  Study phs002935

• Investigating the Role of Neddylation in the Repair of Topoisomerase I-Mediated DNA Damage in Colorectal Cancer

  Colorectal cancer is one of the most lethal cancers worldwide. First-line chemotherapy for metastatic CRC (mCRC) entails a combination of irinotecan with 5-fluorouracil and leucovorin (FOLFIRI). Irinotecan is a prodrug that is converted within the cell to its active metabolite SN38, a potent TOP1 inhibitor. TOP1 relieves DNA torsional strain arising from DNA metabolism by cleaving one strand of the DNA duplex and forming an enzyme-DNA covalent intermediate that can be trapped by inhibitors. The resulting TOP1 DNA-protein crosslinks (TOP1-DPCs) interfere with replication and transcription and induce cell death if left unrepaired. I have established the role of the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway in TOP1-DPC repair, but it remains unknown how ubiquitylation is activated. One possibility is that collision between advancing replication forks and the DPCs triggers a specific ubiquitin ligase to target DPCs for degradation. The DDB1-CUL4 (Cullin 4)-RBX1 (CRL4) ubiquitin ligase complex performs a salient role in both replication and DNA repair upon its activation by auto-NEDD8 modification (neddylation), but it is unknown whether it plays a role for TOP1-DPC repair. We plan to define the role of neddylation for TOP1-DPC repair during replication and examine irinotecan plus pevonedistat (PEV), a NEDD8-activating enzyme inhibitor in multiple clinical trials, in CRC patient-derived preclinical models including 3D organoids. The three in-house organoids, from which samples have been submitted to dbGaP, were sequenced as a means of verifying their identity as colon cancer organoids, to allow us to investigate the combination of TOP1 inhibitors and PEV and the molecular mechanisms underlying this drug combination in these organoids.

  Study phs003257

• Kids First: Whole Genome Sequencing of Nonsyndromic Craniosynostosis

  The Gabriella Miller Kids First Pediatric Research Program (Kids First) is a trans-NIH effort initiated in response to the 2014 Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act and supported by the NIH Common Fund. This program focuses on gene discovery in pediatric cancers and structural birth defects and the development of the Gabriella Miller Kids First Pediatric Data Resource (Kids First Data Resource). All of the WGS and phenotypic data from this study are accessible through dbGaP and kidsfirstdrc.org, where other Kids First datasets can also be accessed. Nonsyndromic craniosynostosis (NCS) is a common, major structural birth defect - due to the premature fusion of one or more cranial sutures - that requires extensive surgical correction and is associated with considerable ongoing medical problems and health care costs. Because little is known about the causes of NCS, whole genome sequencing will help advance knowledge of genetic factors contributing to the etiology of NCS. Data from this project will lead to a better understanding of biological processes involved in the etiology of NCS and provide critical insights for development of early diagnostic tools and therapeutic strategies.

  Study phs001806

• Exome Sequencing for Head and Neck Cancer Susceptibility

  This study seeks to find low frequency or rare genetic variants in genes carried by subjects from families with unexplained familial risk of head and neck cancer. Whole exome sequencing was used to identify genetic variation in head and neck cancer cases.

  Study phs002571

• LCCC1122: Defining the Triple Negative Breast Cancer Kinome Response to GSK1120212

  In this study the investigators looked at adaptive reprogramming impact on the kinome when a MEK inhibitor called GSK1120212 (trametinib) was administered in a "window of opportunity" trial. GSK1120212 is not yet approved by the FDA for use in breast cancer patients. The investigators gave GSK1120212 for a short period of time (one week) to examine MEK and the other kinase expression in cancer cells both before and after the study drug is given. The investigators gave this drug for research purposes only. The length of time it was given is not intended to treat cancer. Recently researchers at UNC developed a process that can comprehensively profile the majority of the individual kinases in the kinome and examine the impact on kinase expression of kinase inhibitors (Duncan et al, Cell 2012, PMID: 22500798). This can tell us which kinases need to be concurrently blocked to augment responsiveness and prevent acquired resistance so that the investigators can design the best combinations of kinase blocking drugs for triple negative breast cancer. This is especially important for individuals with triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) because there are no targeted drugs available that can block molecules that affect tumor growth. The investigators believe that kinase-blocking drugs have the potential to be a more effective treatment for people with TNBC. In this recently published study (Zawistowski et al, Cancer Discovery 2017, PMID: 28108460), TNBC patients treated with trametinib for 7 days resulted in a transcriptional response characterized by significant reprogramming of the tyrosine kinome, and this adaptive bypass response in human tumors was found to be similar to that seen in preclinical models including TNBC cell lines and mouse xenografts. In this study we also examined whether reprogramming differed between TNBC molecular subtypes, finding that basal-like and claudin-low human TNBC cells and mouse tumor subtypes had different adaptive transcriptional responses to MEK-ERK inhibition. Mechanistically we found that genome-wide enhancer remodeling drove the adaptive transcriptional response, suggesting that epigenetic approaches to reprogramming may be more durable than kinase inhibitor polypharmacology.

  Study phs001405

• Molecular Profiling of Gallbladder Cancer (MPOG)

  The purpose of this study is to investigate the underlying genetic factors involved in gallbladder cancer.

  Study phs001404

• Count Me In (CMI): The Metastatic Breast Cancer (MBC) Project (CMI-MBCproject)

  Count Me In - The Metastatic Breast Cancer Project: A Patient-Driven Research Initiative to Accelerate Metastatic Breast Cancer Research The Metastatic Breast Cancer Project (MBCproject; mbcproject.org) is a research study that directly engages patients with metastatic breast cancer via social media and advocacy groups and empowers them to accelerate cancer research by sharing their samples and clinical information. The goal is to create a publicly available dataset of genomic, molecular, clinical, and patient-reported data to enable research. Patients in the US or Canada may register online. Registered patients are sent an online consent form that asks for permission to obtain and analyze their medical records, tumor tissue, saliva, and blood samples. Once enrolled, patients are sent a saliva kit and asked to mail back a saliva sample, which is used to extract germline DNA. Study staff contact participants' medical providers and obtain medical records and a portion of their stored tumor biopsies. Patients may be asked to mail in a blood sample, which is used to extract cell free DNA (cfDNA). Whole exome sequencing (WES) is performed on tumor DNA, germline DNA, and cfNDA; transcriptome sequencing is performed on tumor RNA. Clinically annotated genomic data are used to study specific patient cohorts (including outliers) and to identify mechanisms of response and resistance to therapies. All de-identified data, including genomic, clinical, and patient-reported data, are shared via public databases on a pre-publication and recurring basis as it is generated. Study updates are shared with participants regularly.

  Study phs001709

• Breast Cancer Family Registry

  The Breast Cancer Family Registry (BCFR) is a multi-center prospective cohort, comprised of over 30,000 women and men from nearly 12,000 families from the United States, Canada, and Australia. Our BCFR resource has been used, and continues to be used, by breast cancer researchers around the world in order to find new ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat cancer. The BCFR provides an extensive and diverse range of resources, expertise, and specialized skills, and has several unique strengths: 1) the collection of a large number of individuals and families across a wide spectrum of breast cancer risk, including both affected and unaffected individuals; 2) the large collection of families with early-onset breast cancer; 3) the large collection of racial/ethnic minority families not replicated elsewhere; 4) the extensive molecular characterization performed to date; and 5) active follow-up of both probands and family members. Thus, the BCFR comprises a unique cohort of probands and family members at familial/genetic risk of breast cancer that will continue to facilitate a wide range of research studies, such as gene discovery, examination of cancer-related outcomes and risk factors in high-risk subjects, investigation of novel behavioral interventions, and cancer prevention trials among at-risk family members. Consequently, the BCFR Cohort, as one of the few cohorts available worldwide with biospecimens and extensive molecular and genetic characterization, combined with epidemiologic data and long-term follow up, will be an invaluable resource for translational research in the genetic epidemiology of breast cancer.

  Study phs002835

• Time Lapse to Cancer-Defining the Transition from Polyp to Cancer

  In the US, CRC incidence has declined with uptake in colonoscopy for early detection and removal of polyps, the precursor lesion, can stop a cancer from developing but in spite of this, CRC remains the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States. One third of people who undergo screening colonoscopy will have adenomatous polyps, but less than 5% of the time are these polyps presumed to go on to develop into cancer. Why does one polyp develop into cancer while another one that looks very similar does not. In this proposal we will identify what molecular genetic changes in the genome, in the mRNA expression and genetic methylation patterns will distinguish a polyp that has already transformed into cancer from one that has not.

  Study phs001384

• Foundation Medicine Adult Cancer Clinical Dataset (FM-AD)

  The Foundation Medicine adult cancer clinical dataset consists of 18,004 unique solid tumor samples that underwent genomic profiling on a single uniform platform as part of standard clinical care. The dataset is derived from the FoundationOne® genomic profiling assay version 2 that interrogates exonic regions of 287 cancer-related genes and selected introns from 19 genes known to undergo rearrangements in human cancer. Genomic DNA samples were sequenced to over 500x median coverage, and custom computational analyses identified all classes of genomic alterations (base substitutions, insertions and deletions, copy number alterations, and rearrangements). Since matched normal tissue was unavailable for analysis, these data underwent additional filtering to enrich for cancer-related events. The reported data includes genomic alterations that are known and suspected tumor drivers, as well as variants of unknown significance. To preserve patient anonymity, all known or suspected germline variants were removed from the data unless known to be associated with cancer development. The dataset contains genomic alteration profiles generated by FoundationOne version 2 testing for adult cancer patients (over 18 y.o.), and represents a vast diversity of tumor subtypes, including many rare diseases not profiled as part of large-scale profiling efforts. Cases are grouped into 16 broad disease categories containing tumors from 162 unique disease subtypes. Since specimens were profiled as part of clinical care, limited clinical parameters were available, including age, gender, tissue of origin, % of tumor nuclei, and diagnosis. Publication of this dataset is intended to allow the broad scientific community access to this unique cohort for use in scientific research projects of common and rare types of cancer, both for generating leads regarding causal mechanisms as well as cross-testing and confirming existing hypotheses. A pediatric cancer clinical dataset consisting of data from 1,215 patients under 18 y.o. is available separately at: FOUNDATION MEDICINE

  Study phs001179

• Integrative Analysis of Lung Adenocarcinoma in EAGLE (Version 2)

  We performed a comprehensive analysis of intratumor heterogeneity of somatic mutations in cancer driver genes, copy number aberrations and DNA methylation in 292 tumor samples from 84 lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) patients from the Environment And Genetics in Lung cancer Etiology (EAGLE) study. SNVs of 37 established lung cancer driver genes were profiled by deep target sequencing in 180 tumor samples and 55 blood samples and 1 buccal sample from 56 subjects. Somatic copy number alterations were profiled using SNP arrays in 268 tumor samples from 80 subjects. DNA methylation levels were profiled with methylation arrays in 205 tumor samples and 74 normal tissue samples from 68 subjects.

  Study phs001169

• Genome-Wide Analysis of Aberrant Position and Sequence of Plasma DNA Fragment Ends in Patients With Cancer

  This study investigated fragmentation characteristics in plasma cell-free DNA and evaluated the relevance of such analysis for cancer diagnostics. Specifically, we performed whole genome sequencing (WGS) of healthy individuals and cancer patients, and evaluated genome-wide coverage and sequences surrounding fragment ends. This was a retrospective study of archived plasma samples. The WGS data are available through this submission. Detailed study design and findings were published in Budhraja et al. Science Translational Medicine 2023.

  Study phs003170

• Genome, epigenome and RNA sequences of monozygotic twins discordant for multiple sclerosis

  Monozygotic (MZ) twins have been widely employed for dissection of the relative contributions of genetics and environment in disease. In multiple sclerosis (MS), an autoimmune demyelinating disease that commonly causes neurodegeneration and disability in young adults, disease discordance in MZ twins has been interpreted to indicate environmental importance in pathogenesis. However, genetic and epigenetic differences between MZ twins have been described, challenging the accepted experimental paradigm in disambiguating effects of nature and nurture. Here, we report the genome sequences of one MS-discordant MZ twin pair and messenger RNA (mRNA) transcriptome and epigenome sequences of CD4+ lymphocytes from three MS-discordant, MZ twin pairs. No reproducible differences were detected between co-twins among ~3.6 million single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) or ~0.2 million insertion-deletion polymorphisms (indels). Nor were any reproducible differences observed between siblings of the three twin pairs in HLA haplotypes, confirmed MS-susceptibility SNPs, copy number variations, mRNA and genomic SNP and indel genotypes, or expression of ~19,000 genes in CD4+ T cells. Only two to 176 differences in methylation of ~2 million CpG sites were detected between siblings of the three twin pairs, in contrast to ~800 differences in methylation between T cells of unrelated individuals and several thousand differences between tissues or normal and cancerous tissues. In the first systematic effort to estimate sequence variation among MZ co-twins, we did not find evidence for genetic, epigenetic or transcriptome differences that explained disease discordance. These are the first female, twin and autoimmune disease genome sequences reported.

  Study phs000239

• Center for Craniofacial and Dental Genetics (CCDG): Genetics of Orofacial Clefts and Related Phenotypes

  The purpose of this study is to investigate the genetics of orofacial clefts (OFCs) in a large study population, and importantly, to incorporate subclinical phenotypic features into these studies. Orofacial clefts (OFCs) comprise a significant fraction of human birth defects (about 1/700 live births (Rahimov et al. 2012) and represent a major public health challenge, as individuals with these anomalies require surgical, nutritional, dental, speech, medical and behavioral interventions, thus imposing a substantial economic and personal burden (Berk and Marazita 2002*). The most common forms include OFCs of the lip alone (CL, Figure 1A), CL plus cleft palate (CL+CP, Figure 1B) or of the palate only (CP, Figure 1C). Individuals born with OFC may have their first surgical repair at age 3 months, but this initial surgery is just the beginning of a lifetime of health burdens. An individual born with an OFC has a hospital use rate increased for most ages (up to 233% increase for children ages 0-10 years and 16% for middle aged adults (Wehby et al. 2012). Healthcare costs for children with OFCs are estimated to be 800% greater compared with their unaffected peers (Boulet et al. 2009). Data from Denmark show that people born with CL with or without CP (CL/P) have an increased mortality up to age 55, which may be attributed to an increased risk of suicide and/or certain cancers (Christensen et al. 2004). The focus of most OFC genetic research has been CL and/or CP. Furthermore, the majority of OFC, i.e. about 70% of CL/P and 50% of CP is considered "nonsyndromic" (Jones 1988), i.e. isolated anomalies with no other apparent cognitive or structural abnormalities. Figure 1 Sample OFC Types A: Bilateral Cleft Lip; B:Cleft Lip plus Cleft Palate; C:Cleft Palate Alone The factors leading to the majority of nonsyndromic OFCs are still unclear, particularly at an individual family level. As is true for many complex traits, substantial progress in gene identification has occurred in the OFC field in the last two years (Dixon et al. 2011; Marazita 2012). Genome Wide Association Studies (GWAS) and sequencing studies to date by our research team and others have focused on genetic risk factors for overt CL/P and CPO-and have been very successful. A major finding from this work is that OFCs exhibit significant genetic heterogeneity, i.e., multiple genetic regions have been implicated (Beaty et al. 2010; Ludwig et al. 2012). Thus, approaches are needed to understand this genetic heterogeneity. Are there GxG interactions at work? Are there subsets of families, each due to a different gene? Our research group has shown that a promising approach to dissect the etiology of OFC is to focus on subclinical phenotypic features within entire cleft families (not just in affected cases, but also in their non-cleft relatives). These subtle features are believed to represent mild manifestations of the same underlying genetic susceptibility responsible for OFCs; as such, their inclusion in case-control and family-based genetic studies can help to clarify and refine the relationship between genotype and phenotype. The study population comprises a large number of families and individuals (~12,000 individuals) from multiple populations worldwide (Caucasians from the US and Europe, Asians from China and the Philippines, Mixed Native American/Caucasians from South America, and Africans from Nigeria and Ethiopia). There are cases, case families (nuclear families and extended kindreds), as well as controls with no history of OFC nor other developmental defects. *Berk NW, Marazita ML (2002) Costs of Cleft lip and Palate: Personal and Societal Implications. In: Wyszynski DF (ed) Cleft Lip and Palate: From Origin to Treatment. Oxford University Press, Inc., New York, pp 458-467.

  Study phs000774

• ALCHEMIST Study

  The ALCHEMIST study will accrue patients that are potentially eligible for the Intergroup adjuvant studies and perform central EGFR and ALK genotyping using a central reference laboratory certified by the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA). Patients may either present prior to surgery with resectable NSCLC, may present following complete resection (before or after adjuvant chemotherapy). Eligibility is limited to those with NSCLC of a non-squamous histological subtype and those with adequate performance status and organ function for future trial eligibility. All subjects must submit tissue for central EGFR and ALK genotyping, as well as additional tissue for advanced genomics at the CCG. Subjects may have had local genotyping done prior to registration, however if these results shows no targetable EGFR or ALK alterations (or if it shows a KRAS mutation) then the patient will not be eligible for this screening protocol given the primary aim is to facilitate accrual to the adjuvant studies. All subjects will provide peripheral blood for matched normal DNA. All subjects (including those known to have EGFR or ALK alterations with local genotyping) will have formalin-fixed tissue collected for central genotyping. The testing will be performed at Response Genetics (Los Angeles, CA), a commercial CLIA-certified laboratory. ALK FISH will be performed using the Vysis break-apart probe and EGFR sequencing will be performed of exons 18-21. It is preferred that a full tumor block be submitted, but if unavailable, 15 unstained slides can be submitted. Genotyping results are expected to be provided to the treating clinician within 14 business days of submission so they can be used to determine eligibility for the randomized adjuvant studies, or to confirm the local results. Results will also be reported at intervals to the study team for update into the Alliance database. In addition to the commercial genotyping at Response Genetics, tissue will be collected for research genomics by CCG. For those patients with a block available, this will be forwarded to the CCG after clinical testing at Response Genetics. For patients without a block available, 15 unstained slides should be submitted to the CCG BCR for exploratory analysis. A peripheral blood specimen will also be collected and sent to the CCG BCR to use as matched normal. Specimens will be coded. Over the course of the study, the CCG will perform advanced genomic analysis of the resected lung cancer specimens in a research, non-CLIA environment. Following completion of the genomic analysis, the results can be matched with the clinical follow-up results using a link between the samples codes and the patient identifiers for correlative analyses. Subjects participating in the follow-up portion of the ALCHEMIST study, as well as those participating in the adjuvant therapeutic studies, are expected to undergo a standard-of-care diagnostic biopsy to confirm recurrence. At least two core biopsies, minimum, should be obtained as part of this recurrence biopsy. Paraffin embedded tissue from this biopsy will be used for confirmation of recurrence, for CLIA genomics to plan subsequent clinical trials, and for additional research genomics by the CCG. Plasma will additionally be collected at recurrence and sent to CCG for study of circulating free DNA (cfDNA). Data for the ALCHEMIST study is not yet available to be accessed by the public at this time; when ready it will be made available at the GDC Data Portal.

  Study phs001140

• De Novo Mutation Rates at the Single-Mutation Resolution in the Human Genome

  We developed a method to measure the origination rates of target mutations of choice and applied it to the HbS and nearby mutations in the human beta-globin (HBB) gene, as well as to the equivalent mutations in the nearly identical delta-globin (HBD) gene in sperm cells from African and European donors. Specifically, after extracting DNA from the sperm of the donors, each sample is enriched for the HbS mutation and nearby mutations by the restriction enzyme Bsu36I, which cleaves the wild-type (WT) sequence CCTGAGG at positions 16–22 of HBB and the homologous positions of HBD while leaving the HbS mutant and other mutants in these positions intact. Next, unique barcodes are attached to the DNA fragments from these Bsu36I-treated samples in order to reduce error by consensus sequencing of copies originating from the same original fragment. To determine how many target WT sequences have been removed (scanned) by Bsu36I digestion and hence to be able to calculate the de novo mutation rate, we run a second reaction in parallel for each donor. This reaction involves the same steps as the former reaction except for digestion by Bsu36I (Bsu36I-untreated). Spiking into the Bsu36I-treated and untreated samples known amounts of mock HBB-like DNA molecules that are fully resistant to Bsu36I digestion allows to calculate in the sequence analysis stage the Bsu36I-enrichment score based on the change in their frequency between the two treatments, which in turn is used to calculate the number of scanned WT sequences. Our results show significant correspondence between de novo mutation rates and past observations of alleles in carriers, showing that mutation rates vary substantially in a mutation-specific manner that contributes to the site frequency spectrum. We also found that the overall point mutation rate is significantly higher in Africans than Europeans in the HBB region studied. Finally, the rate of the 20A>T mutation, called the “HbS mutation” when it appears in HBB, is significantly higher than expected from the genome-wide average for this mutation type. Nine instances were observed in the African HBB ROI, where it is of adaptive significance, representing at least three independent originations, and no instances were observed in the European HBB ROI or in the European or African HBD ROI.12 consented subjects; samples from two subjects were pooled

  Study phs002391

• National Institutes of Health H3Africa African Collaborative Center for Microbiome and Genomics Research (ACCME)

  The African Collaborative Center for Microbiome and Genomics Research is a multi-institutional collaborative research project. The objectives of the project are to collaborate and implement high impact integrative epidemiology and genomics research into discovery of biomarkers associated with cervical carcinogenesis. Specifically ACCME links and leverages existing funded research and program activities at the collaborating institutions to study the interaction between vaginal microbiome, host genetic factors and molecular variants of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) to determine correlates of viral persistence in the causal pathway of cervical cancer, a major cause of preventable mortality in Nigeria and other parts of sub-Saharan Africa. This research offers several opportunities to advance understanding of cervical carcinogenesis, viral oncogenesis, new biomarker discovery and risk stratification by genotype in a cohort of African women. Sponsorship: This project is sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH)

  Study phs001945

• OncoArray: Oral and Pharynx Cancer

  Genetic factors play an important role in susceptibility to head and neck cancer and could also explain differences in response to treatment and outcome. The goal of this project is to investigate genetic variation involved in oral and oropharyngeal cancer susceptibility by performing the largest GWAS on these diseases, using a novel genotyping tool specifically designed for cancer studies by the OncoArray Network. This project encompasses data from approximately 6000 oral and pharynx cancer cases and 4000 controls derived from 12 epidemiological studies most of case-control design. The genotyping was centralized at the Center for Inherited Disease Research (CIDR), and the epidemiological data harmonization and analysis were completed at the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). This study was supported by National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) with direct funding to CIDR.

  Study phs001202

• Molecular Determinants of Tumor Behavior in Early Lung Adenocarcinoma

  Lung adenocarcinoma is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide and a heterogeneous disease with poor survival in the advanced stage. Given that the frequency of early diagnosis is increasing, the investigation of the molecular determinants of disease progression is paramount. Prediction of whether the tumor is indolent or aggressive has been the subject of recent investigations. Yet, the molecular underpinnings explaining the difference in tumor behavior remains largely unknown and is directly relevant to the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of lung cancer screening, including the risks of over-diagnosis and overtreatment. To gain insights into the molecular pathogenesis and the underlying molecular determinants of clinical behavior of early adenocarcinoma, we investigated genetic alterations in 102 surgically resected early adenocarcinomas. We hypothesized that the behavior of early adenocarcinoma can be predicted based on genomic underpinnings. To identify the type of genomic alterations associated with resected indolent and aggressive early lung ADC, the DNA samples from 21 adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS), 27 minimally invasive adenocarcinoma (MIA) and 54 fully invasive adenocarcinoma were collected and subjected to a deep next generation sequencing, targeting a custom 347 cancer gene panel. Our study provides new insights into cancer genomic evolution, helps to elucidate the interplay of somatic mutation and the adaptation of clones, and brings new insights into the key distinction between indolent and aggressive tumor behavior.

  Study phs001811

• Prediction of Trastuzumab Benefit in Adjuvant Breast Cancer: Gene Expression Profiling in NSABP B31

  Background National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project (NSABP) trial B-31 suggested the efficacy of adjuvant trastuzumab, even in HER2-negative breast cancer. This finding prompted us to develop a predictive model for degree of benefit from trastuzumab using archived tumor blocks from B-31. Methods Case subjects with tumor blocks were randomly divided into discovery (n = 588) and confirmation cohorts (n = 991). A predictive model was built from the discovery cohort through gene expression profiling of 462 genes with nCounter assay. A predefined cut point for the predictive model was tested in the confirmation cohort. Gene-by-treatment interaction was tested with Cox models, and correlations between variables were assessed with Spearman correlation. Principal component analysis was performed on the final set of selected genes. All statistical tests were two-sided. Results Eight predictive genes associated with HER2 (ERBB2, c17orf37, GRB7) or ER (ESR1, NAT1, GATA3, CA12, IGF1R) were selected for model building. Three-dimensional subset treatment effect pattern plot using two principal components of these genes was used to identify a subset with no benefit from trastuzumab, characterized by intermediate-level ERBB2 and high-level ESR1 mRNA expression. In the confirmation set, the predefined cut points for this model classified patients into three subsets with differential benefit from trastuzumab with hazard ratios of 1.58 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.67 to 3.69; P = .29; n = 100), 0.60 (95% CI = 0.41 to 0.89; P = .01; n = 449), and 0.28 (95% CI = 0.20 to 0.41; P < .001; n = 442; P interaction between the model and trastuzumab < .001). Conclusions We developed a gene expression-based predictive model for degree of benefit from trastuzumab and demostrated that HER2-negative tumors belong to the moderate benefit group, thus providing justification for testing trastuzumab in HER2-negative patients (NSABP B-47). ** Reprinted from J Natl Cancer Inst;2013;105:1782-1788 with permission from Oxford University Press.

  Study phs000826

• Cross-Species Single-Cell Analysis of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Reveals Antigen-Presenting Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts

  Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are major players in the progression and drug resistance of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). CAFs constitute a diverse cell population consisting of several recently described subtypes, although the extent of CAF heterogeneity has remained undefined. Here we employ single-cell RNA-sequencing to thoroughly characterize the neoplastic and tumor microenvironment content of human PDAC tumors. Six human PDAC tumor specimens from six patients were collected, and processed for single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis. Adjacent-normal pancreas tissue was also collected from two of the patients. Tumor samples were digested, and fluorescence-activated cell sorting was used to isolate viable cells. For one tumor sample, viable, CD45-negative, CD31-negative, and EpCAM-negative cells were also isolated to enrich for CAFs. The 10X Chromium platform was then used to isolate single cells for RNA-sequencing analysis. This work has demonstrated the differences in immune cell populations between adjacent-normal and tumor tissues, and identified subpopulations of epithelial cells and CAFs present in PDAC tumors. This high-throughput analysis is a resource to better understand the cell populations present in PDAC, and may ultimately aid in the development of more effective therapies for this deadly malignancy.

  Study phs001840

• NHLBI TOPMed: Genetic Study of Atherosclerosis Risk (GeneSTAR)

  GeneSTAR began in 1982 as the Johns Hopkins Sibling and Family Heart Study, a prospective longitudinal family-based study conducted originally in healthy adult siblings of people with documented early onset coronary disease under 60 years of age. Commencing in 2003, the siblings, their offspring, and the coparent of the offspring participated in a 2 week trial of aspirin 81 mg/day with pre and post ex vivo platelet function assessed using multiple agonists in whole blood and platelet rich plasma. Extensive additional cardiovascular testing and risk assessment was done at baseline and serially. Follow-up was carried out to determine incident cardiovascular disease, stroke, peripheral arterial disease, diabetes, cancer, and related comorbidities, from 5 to 30 years after study entry. The goal of several additional phenotyping and interventional substudies has been to discover and amplify understanding of the mechanisms of atherogenic vascular diseases and attendant comorbidities.

  Study phs001218

• National Cancer Institute Clinical and Laboratory Analysis of Familial Cancer

  The purpose of this study is to continue the analysis begun on 09C0079 which was focused on identification of the genetic mutation associated with a new gastric polyposis syndrome, Gastric Adenocarcinoma and Proximal Polyposis of the Stomach (GAPPS). GAPPS, first described in 2012, is an autosomal dominant gastric polyposis syndrome that confers a substantial risk for gastric adenocarcinoma. The GAPPS phenotype consists of a carpeting of greater than 100 fundic gland polyps (FGPs) in the oxyntic mucosa of the gastric body and fundus, with antral sparing with some FGPs displaying high-grade dysplasia. This is in contrast to sporadic FGPs that are benign, most often are not associated with high-grade dysplasia though low-grade dysplasia has been reported, and are fewer in number. Gastric FGPs have been found to be associated with Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP) and attenuated FAP, which is an autosomal dominant condition associated with germ line mutations in APC which confers a phenotype consisting of multiple (>100) adenomatous polyps in the colon and rectum developing after the first decade of life. FGPs are reported to occur in 12-84% of patients with FAP, whereas sporadic FGPs are identified in ~5% of patients undergoing upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Gastric adenocarcinoma arising from FGPs in individuals with FAP have been reported. Other manifestations of FAP and AFAP include polyps in the upper gastrointestinal tract, congenital hypertrophy of retinal pigment epithelium, osteomas and epidermoid cysts, supernumerary teeth, desmoid formation, and other malignancies such as thyroid, small bowel cancer, hepatoblastoma, and medulloblastoma. Thus far there are no reports in GAPPS of polyposis arising in the esophagus, gastric antrum, pylorus, small intestine, or colon.

  Study phs001935

• Genome-wide Association Study and Meta-Analysis of Ewing Sarcoma

  We combined a set of 122 French Ewing sarcoma (EWS) cases from the Institut Curie, 19 EWS cases from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Center for Cancer Research (CCR), and 29 EWS cases from the NCI Bone Disease and Injury Study. All EWS cases were confirmed by medical record review and the presence of a specific EWSR1-ETS translocation were noted when data was available. Each participant provided informed consent and each participating study was approved by the Institutional Review Boards of their study center. DNA was extracted using standard methods from blood, saliva (Oragene), or buccal cells. All de novo genotyping of EWS cases was performed at the NCI CGR on the Illumina OmniExpress-24 v1.1 array. Genotyping was performed according to manufacturer's guidelines using the Infinium HD Assay automated protocol.

  Study phs001549

• Comprehensive Analysis of the Immunogenomics of Triple Negative Breast Cancer Brain Metastases from LCCC1419

  Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subset of breast cancer that lacks expression of the estrogen and progesterone receptors (ER and PR) and HER2. Nearly 50% of patients with advanced TNBC will develop brain metastases (BrM), commonly with progressive extracranial disease. Immunotherapy has shown promise in the treatment of advanced TNBC; however, the immunogenomics of BrM remains largely unknown. Thus, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of TNBC BrM and matched primary tumors to characterize the genomic and immune landscape of TNBC BrM to foster the development of immunotherapy strategies in this aggressive and clinically unmet disease.  

  Study phs002457

• Altered chromosomal topology drives oncogenic programs in gastrointestinal stromal tumors

  Metabolic lesions with pleiotropic effects on epigenetic regulation and other cellular processes are widely implicated in cancer, yet their oncogenic mechanisms remain poorly understood. Succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) deficiency causes a subset of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) with DNA hyper-methylation. Here we associate this hyper-methylation with changes in chromosome topology that activate oncogenic programs. To investigate epigenetic alterations in this disease, we systematically mapped DNA methylation, CTCF insulators, enhancers and chromosome topology in KIT-mutant, PDGFRA-mutant and SDH-deficient GISTs. Although these respective subtypes share similar enhancer landscapes, we identified hundreds of putative insulators where DNA methylation replaced CTCF binding in SDH-deficient GISTs. We focused on disrupted insulators that partitions super-enhancers from FGF3, FGF4 and the KIT oncogene. Recurrent loss of this insulator alters locus topology in SDH-deficient GISTs, allowing aberrant physical interaction between enhancers and oncogenes. CRISPR-mediated excision of the corresponding CTCF motif in an SDH-intact model disrupted the boundary and up-regulated FGFs and KIT expression. Our findings reveal how a metabolic lesion destabilizes chromatin structure to facilitate the initiation and selection of epigenetic alterations that drive oncogenic programs in the absence of canonical mutations.

  Study phs001906

• Evolution of Resistance in ER+ Breast Cancer

  While the combination of endocrine therapy and CDK4/CDK6 inhibitors has been shown to be effective in the metastatic ER+ breast cancer setting, to test whether it is effective in an earlier stage neoadjuvant setting, the FELINE trial (NCT02712723) was established to test the efficacy of letrozole and ribociclib in a ER-positive, HER2-negative patients in a randomized, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial. Patients were randomized to one of three arms: those in Arm A received letrozole and placebo, Arm B letrozole and intermittent ribociclib, and Arm C letrozole and continuous ribociclib. Samples were collected at screening (Day 0), Cycle 1 (Day 14), and end of trial (Day 180). Samples from 24 patients, where cancer cells were present at Day 0 and one additional time point, were subjected to whole-exome sequencing profiling.

  Study phs002287

• Integrated Genomic Analysis of Periampullary Tumors at The Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine (HGSC-BCM)

  Adenocarcinomas arising in the complex environment of the ampulla of Vater constitute a histopathological heterogenous group, presumably originating from the different epithelial cellular constituents present at the site: pancreas, bile duct, and intestinal duodenum. These tumors have been described in many different ways: intra-ampullary, periampullary, intra-ampullary papillary-tubular neoplasm, ampullary-ductal, periampullary-duodenal, and ampullary-not otherwise specified. These varied classifications reflect the difficulty in classifying these tumors into specific groups. Only the tumors clearly localized in the bile duct or duodenum are identified as distal cholangiocarcinomas (CAC) or duodenal adenocarcinomas (DUOAC). The current classification is based on macroscopic features that may distinguish the epithelium of origin, microscopic features, clinicopathological criteria, histopathology and expression of differential markers. This classification is subjective and prone to inter-observer variability and significantly impacts on treatment selection and therapeutic development. In order to define subtypes of periampullary cancer with clinical relevance, we performed whole exome sequencing and copy number analysis of 160 cancers arising in the periampullary region, 62 of these clearly arising from either the bile duct (n = 44), or the duodenum (n = 18) and 98 periampullary cancers (AMPAC) where the epithelium of origin could not be clearly defined.

  Study phs000895

• Genomic Changes in Breast Cancer Among Chinese Women in Hong Kong

  Recently, tumor sequencing and profiling analyses have improved molecular classification and refined existing breast cancer subtypes. However, epidemiologic data are absent in most somatic profiling studies even in extensively studied Western populations. The expansion of genomic studies to understudied populations with the integration of etiologic factors will allow the capture of a much wider range of genetic structure and mutagenic exposures associated with breast cancer risk. We therefore conducted a detailed molecular characterization of paired breast tumor/normal tissues using fresh frozen tissues collected from breast cancer cases in an ongoing breast cancer case-control study in Hong Kong. These analyses included whole exome sequencing, RNA sequencing, and genome-wide methylation profiling analyses.

  Study phs001870

• Whole Exome Characterization of Squamous Cell Lung Cancers (Lung SQCC) from Appalachian Kentucky (APPKY)

  This is a pilot study of squamous cell lung cancer and matched normal tissue pairs collected (convenience sample) from patients from Central Appalachia, in Southeastern Kentucky. This study performed whole exome sequencing on tumor and matched normal DNA samples from 51 lung squamous cell carcinoma (SQCC) subjects from Appalachian Kentucky (AppKY). Somatic genomic alteration profiles were compared between the AppKY and TCGA SQCC cohorts. We found that IDH1 and PCMTD1 had higher mutation rates in AppKY versus TCGA. These findings suggest population differences in the genetics of lung SQCC between AppKY and US populations that have implications for personalized treatment for this disease.

  Study phs001651

• Cellular Origins and Genetic Landscape of Cutaneous GD T Cell Lymphoma

  Cutaneous gamma-delta T cell lymphomas are a rare and aggressive subtype of cutaneous lymphoma. In the present study, we analyzed these cancers by DNA and RNA sequencing in order to illuminate the genetic landscape for this rare disease. We obtained tumor samples from multiple institutions, including Northwestern University (Chicago, IL), University of Chicago (Chicago, IL), University of Virginia (Charlottesville, VA), and Massachusetts General Hospital (Boston, MA).

  Study phs001969