3423 results for "ovarian cancer"

in 30.92 milliseconds.

• Whole Genome Sequencing of Liver Cancers

  Genomic alterations driving tumorigenesis result from the interaction of environmental exposures and endogeneous cellular processes. With a diversity of risk factors including viral infection, carcinogenic exposures and metabolic diseases, liver cancer is an ideal model to study these interactions. Whole genome sequencing of liver tumors identified 10 mutational signatures showing distinct relationships with environmental exposures, replication and transcription. Transcription-coupled damage was specifically associated with the liver-specific signature 16 and alcohol intake. Flood of indels were identified in very highly expressed hepato-specific genes, likely resulting from replication-transcription collisions. Reconstruction of sub-clonal architecture revealed mutational signature evolution during tumor development exemplified by the vanishing of aflatoxin-B1 signature in African migrants. These findings shed new light on the natural history of liver cancers

  Study EGAS00001002408

• 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

• RNA sequencing data from glioblastoma primary cell lines treated with indisulam

  This study aimed to develop NovumRNA, a bioinformatics pipeline designed to predict non-canonical tumor-specific antigens (ncTSAs) from human tumor RNA-sequencing data, potentially broadening the target pool for cancer neo-epitope-based immunotherapies. The splicing-modulating drug indisulam was investigated for its potential to induce aberrant transcriptomes, potentially increasing ncTSAs, subsequently predicted by NovumRNA. Four glioblastoma primary cell lines were derived from patient Cavitron Ultrasonic Aspirator (CUSA) material, cultured as neurospheres, and treated with indisulam or vehicle control. RNA was extracted at 6 and 16 hours post-treatment and sequenced using the NovaSeq platform. The resulting RNA-seq data was analyzed with NovumRNA, using healthy brain GTEx samples as controls, to identify and validate ncTSAs induced by indisulam treatment. NovumRNA is available at: https://github.com/ComputationalBiomedicineGroup/NovumRNA.

  Study EGAS50000000680

• Microbiota 16S sequencing study in NSCLC patients eligible for surgery without neoadjuvant treatment

  18 non-small cell lung cancer patients eligible for surgery without neaodjuvant treatment were included in the study at Centre Jean Perrin (France). Patients did not take any antibiotics, food supplements or immunostimulants 2 months prior to inclusion. During surgery, patients underwent partial or complete lobectomy where samples of non-malignant lung tissue, peritumoural tissue and tumour were resected from the removed lobe. This was preceeded by the washing of the removed lobe and obtaining the broncho-alveolar lavage fluid. These four sample types were analysed by 16S sequencing in 17 from 18 patients. The study is a part of the project "Characterization of Microbiota (Intestinal, From Lungs, and Upper Airways) in Patients With Non-small Cell Lung Carcinoma: Exploratory Study " which is registered under ref. NCT03068663 (clinicaltrials.gov).

  Study EGAS00001004728

• Persistent Mutation Burden Drives Sustained Anti-Tumor Immune Responses

  Tumor mutation burden is an imperfect proxy of tumor foreignness and has therefore failed to consistently demonstrate clinical utility in predicting responses in the context of immunotherapy. We evaluated mutations in regions of the genome that are unlikely to undergo loss and discovered that clonal mutations in single-copy regions and those present in multiple copies per cell constitute a persistent tumor mutation burden (pTMB) that is linked with therapeutic response to immune checkpoint blockade. Persistent mutations were retained in the context of tumor evolution under selective pressure of immunotherapy and tumors with a high pTMB content were characterized by a more inflamed tumor microenvironment. pTMB imposes an evolutionary bottleneck that cancer cells cannot overcome and may thus drive sustained immunologic tumor control in the context of immunotherapy.

  Study EGAS00001006660

• Single-cell multi-omics of relapse/refractory multiple myeloma patients (Hipo K08K/H067/K43R)

  Therapy resistance in cancers is ingrained in complex clonal dynamics. While the major clonal population in a tumour might respond well to the employed intervention, minor clones will eventually mutate, consequently acquiring a selective advantage and drug resistance. Hence, to improve cancer therapy, it is crucial to understand the mechanisms behind clonal evolution. Here, we applied single-cell transcriptomics and epigenomics, as well as whole-genome sequencing to 15 patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM). By profiling longitudinal samples throughout varying treatment regimens, we were able to interrogate patterns of evolution across patients. In particular, by defining clones based on copy number aberrations (CNAs), we found evidence for the majority of clones being diminished but not fully eradicated during treatment.

  Study EGAS00001006538

• A Genome-Wide Association Study in Patients Experiencing Musculoskeletal Adverse Events on NCIC CTG Trial MA.27 Evaluating Aromatase Inhibitors as Adjuvant Therapy in Early Breast Cancer. A Collaboration Between the NIH Pharmacogenetics Research Network and the RIKEN Yokohama Institute Center for Genomic Medicine.

  Source of Patients The source of the patients for this genome-wide case control study was MA.27, which was conducted as a multi-cooperative group effort under the auspices of the NCI Breast Cancer Intergroup of North America. The NCIC Clinical Trials Group (CTG) serves as the coordinating group, with participation by the NCI-sponsored North Central Cancer Treatment Group, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG), Southwest Oncology Group, and Cancer and Leukemia Group B (CALGB). MA.27 involved postmenopausal women with histologically confirmed and completely resected invasive breast cancer with surgical margins clear of invasive carcinoma and DCIS in the following TMN categories (AJCC Version 6): pT1, pT2, pT3; pNx, pN0, pN1, pN2, pN3 (only when the sole basis is presence of 10 or more involved axillary nodes); MO. The primary tumor must have been ER and/or progesterone receptor positive. Patients were stratified by lymph node status at diagnosis, prior adjuvant chemotherapy, and trastuzumab use and were randomized to 5 years of adjuvant therapy with anastrozole or exemestane. The trial was activated on May 26, 2003, and reached its accrual objectives on July 31, 2008, after the randomization of 6827 North American patients, with the majority (79%) providing DNA and consent for genetic testing. Non-North American patients were also entered by the International Breast Cancer Study Group but they did not contribute DNA. From 2003 to December 21, 2004, patients also underwent a second randomization to celecoxib 400 mg twice daily or placebo but, after the entry of 1,622 patients, this treatment was discontinued because of reports of increased cardiovascular risk associated with celecoxib. Case Definition for Musculoskeletal Adverse Events Cases were defined to have had at least one of the following six MSAE): 1. pain - joint, 2. pain - muscle, 3. pain - bone, 4. arthritis, 5. joint - function, 6. musculoskeletal - other. Cases were required to have at least grade 3 toxicity, according to the NCI Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events v3.0, or go off treatment for any grade of the six MSAEs; and were required to have had an MSAE within the first two years (i.e., a MSAE occurring after 2 years was not be considered a case). Subjects were excluded from the case group who met the case definition while on celecoxib or in the three months after stopping celecoxib but subjects were allowed to be cases if they developed their first MSAE more than three months after stopping celecoxib. Study Design The design was a nested matched case-control study with two controls selected for each case. Random matching from the potential control group (i.e., risk-set sampling such that controls had at least the same length of followup as the timing of the case event) was done by matching the case on the following factors: 1. treatment arm (exemestane vs. anastrozole, blinded), 2. prior adjuvant chemotherapy (yes vs. no), 3. age at start of treatment (+/- 5 years), 4. Celecoxib allocation (yes vs. no). Attempts were made to exactly match each case with two controls according to the above criteria. If, however, controls could not be exactly matched, "close" matching was used to define a distance between each case and all potential controls in an optimal matching algorithm. Race is a potential confounding factor, and 94% of the MA.27 population is Caucasian, 3% are Black, 1% Asian, 1% American Indian, and 1% are of unknown race. Because there are so few non-Caucasian participants, was restricted to only Caucasians. Following identification of cases and controls, the list was sent to the CALGB Pathology Coordinating Office (PCO) at Ohio State University Medical Center for plating of the samples. Other patient factors that might influence the association of SNP genotypes with a MSAE, either as confounding factors or as effect modifiers, were included as investigational covariates. These include 1. body mass index (BMI), 2. bisphosphonate use, 3. fractures in past 10 years, 4. baseline ECOG performance status, 5. prior hormone replacement therapy, 6. prior adjuvant radiotherapy, and 7. prior taxane treatment. An Honest Broker Process was utilized to ensure patient confidentiality. Genotype Assays and Quality Control A GWAS was performed with the Illumina Human610-Quad at the RIKEN Center for Genomic Medicine. The DNA for all of the samples were adjusted to a concentration of 50 to 100 ng/µL in a final volume of 50 µL. The 96-well plates were designed to have a unique distribution pattern with x duplicates per plate to evaluate genotype concordance. Samples with <98% call rate were removed from analyses. SNPs with ambiguous call will be excluded using the following criteria: 1. low signal intensity of each allele, 2. low cluster separation score, 3. SNP call rate <0.98, 4. SNPs with Hardy Weinberg Equilibrium p-value <0.001 were excluded. X-chromosome SNPs were used to validate female sex and quality control measures were examined across the different submitting centers. For all pairs of subjects, the percentage of matching genotypes were computed to screen for unexpected duplicate samples. All SNPs found to be associated with MSAE were subjected to visual inspection of the cluster plots to verify that the genotype clustering was adequate.

  Study phs000210

• Elucidating Transcription Regulation by Epigenetics in Neuroblastoma

  PURPOSE Whole-genome profiles of the epigenetic modification 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5-hmC) are robust diagnostic biomarkers in adult patients with cancer. We investigated if 5-hmC profiles would serve as novel prognostic markers in neuroblastoma, a clinically heterogeneous pediatric cancer. Because this DNA modification facilitates active gene expression, we hypothesized that 5-hmC profiles would identify transcriptomic networks driving the clinical behavior of neuroblastoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS Nano-hmC-Seal sequencing was performed on DNA from Discovery (n = 51), Validation (n = 38), and Children's Oncology Group (n = 20) cohorts of neuroblastoma tumors. RNA was isolated from 48 tumors for RNA sequencing. Genes with differential 5-hmC or expression between clusters were identified using DESeq2. A 5-hmC model predicting outcome in high-risk patients was established using linear discriminant analysis. RESULTS Comparison of low- versus high-risk tumors in the Discovery cohort revealed 577 genes with differential 5-hmC. Hierarchical clustering of tumors from the Discovery and Validation cohorts using these genes identified two main clusters highly associated with established prognostic markers, clinical risk group, and outcome. Genes with increased 5-hmC and expression in the favorable cluster were enriched for pathways of neuronal differentiation and KRAS activation, whereas genes involved in inflammation and the PRC2 complex were identified in the unfavorable cluster. The linear discriminant analysis model trained on high-risk Discovery cohort tumors was prognostic of outcome when applied to high-risk tumors from the Validation and Children's Oncology Group cohorts (hazard ratio, 3.8). CONCLUSION 5-hmC profiles may be optimal DNA-based biomarkers in neuroblastoma. Analysis of transcriptional networks regulated by these epigenomic modifications may lead to a deeper understanding of drivers of neuroblastoma phenotype. "Reprinted from Applebaum et. JCO Precision Oncology, 2019, with permission from creative commons license."

  Study phs001831

• NHLBI GO-ESP: Family Studies (Hematological Cancers)

  The NHLBI "Grand Opportunity" Exome Sequencing Project (GO-ESP), a signature project of the NHLBI Recovery Act investment, was designed to identify genetic variants in coding regions (exons) of the human genome (the "exome") that are associated with heart, lung and blood diseases. These and related diseases that are of high impact to public health and individuals from diverse racial and ethnic groups will be studied. These data may help researchers understand the causes of disease, contributing to better ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat diseases, as well as determine whether to tailor prevention and treatments to specific populations. This could lead to more effective treatments and reduce the likelihood of side effects. GO-ESP is comprised of five collaborative components: 3 cohort consortia - HeartGO, LungGO, and WHISP - and 2 sequencing centers - BroadGO and SeattleGO. Two major goals in the study of human malignancies are (i) to understand the genetic basis that underlies the predisposition of certain individuals to develop cancer and (ii) to identify the full spectrum of acquired mutations that occur in human cancers. There has been some progress in both of these areas with respect to hematologic malignancies but much remains to be discovered. As a result of recent advantages in sequencing technologies it is now feasible to sequence multiple individual whole exomes at reasonable cost. Such technologies provide a unique opportunity to transform our understanding of the biological basis of human cancer and to identify inherited genetic variants that predispose individuals to the development of hematologic malignancies. Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN), myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and acute leukemia are clonal disorders of hematopoieis. Our study involves performing whole exome sequencing of individuals with these disorders for the purpose of identifying (i) novel inherited genetic variants associated with the risk of developing of MPN/MDS/acute leukemia and (ii) novel acquired mutations associated with the development of MPN/MDS/acute leukemia.

  Study phs000632

• DNA Methylation in Prostate Tumor and Paired Benign Tissue for African and European Ancestry Men

  We recruited prostate cancer (PCa) patients undergoing robotic-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy at the University of Chicago Medical Center Urology Clinic between 2011 and 2017. Our study includes 76 African American (AA) and 75 European American (EA) men with PCa of Gleason Score (GS) ≥7, recruited by the Epidemiology Research Recruitment Core at the University of Chicago. All patients consented to the collection of questionnaire data, prostate tissue, and medical records. The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of the University of Chicago. Following prostatectomy, prostate tissue was sent to the Human Tissue Research Center (HTRC) at the University of Chicago. Each sample underwent histological examination and Gleason scoring by University of Chicago genitourinary pathologists. The presence of adenocarcinoma was confirmed by overexpression of alpha-methylacyl-coenzyme-A racemase (AMACR) and areas for DNA extraction were marked. Tissue samples used for DNA extraction were obtained using with either a 1mm biopunch or laser microdissection of a 100 µm2 area of tissue. Genome-wide DNA methylation profiles were generated using Illumina's Infinium MethylationEPIC BeadChip array kit. Genome-wide SNP data was generated (from benign tissue DNA) using the Illumina Infinium Multi-Ethnic Global-8 v1.0 array at the University of Chicago Genomics Core Facility. We performed imputation using the Haplotype Reference Consortium (HRC, Version r1.1 2016) panel, which includes all samples from the 1,000 Genomes Project (Phase 3), using the Michigan Imputation Server. The imputed SNP data for mQTL analysis was imputed based on genotype SNP data which was all from benign tissue DNA and the methylation data was identified in both tumor and benign tissue, both AA and EA men, and identified QTLs co-occuring with prostate cancer susceptibility loci.Data including SNP genotypes, DNA methylation, tissue type, and participant characteristics will be available in dbGaP.

  Study phs003516

• Dynamics of multiple resistance mechanisms in plasma DNA and their clinical implications for NSCLC patients receiving EGFR-targeted therapies

  Background:The development of resistance mechanisms to targeted therapies is complicated by underlying tumour heterogeneity. When multiple resistance mechanisms co-exist, identifying the dominant driver(s) is critical for selection of treatment. Patients and methods:We studied the relative dynamics of multiple oncogenic drivers and resistance mechanisms in 50 patients with EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), during treatment with gefitinib and hydroxychloroquine (NCT00809237). We performed digital PCR and targeted deep sequencing of cell-free DNA from longitudinal plasma samples from all patients, and shallow whole genome sequencing of serial samples from three patients who underwent histological transformation to small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). ResultsEGFR activating mutations were assessed in tumour samples and accurately identified in plasma samples of 95% of patients (41/43). We identified additional mutations including EGFR T790M (31/50, 62%), TP53 (23/50, 46%), PIK3CA (7/50, 14%), and PTEN (4/50, 8%), and tracked their relative levels in plasma. Patients with both TP53 and EGFR mutations detected in plasma pre-treatment tended to have worse overall survival than those where only EGFR was detected. The resistance-conferring EGFR T790M mutation was identified in 62% of the patients who progressed. Changes in relative levels of T790M and activating mutations in EGFR corresponded to clinical responses in two patients who were given sequential treatments. Patients who progressed without T790M detected in plasma had worse PFS during TKI continuation, and developed alternative resistance mechanisms, that could be identified in plasma DNA, including SCLC-associated copy number changes and TP53 mutations, that tracked with progression and response to subsequent therapies. Conclusion:Longitudinal analysis of multiple oncogenic drivers in ctDNA may help identifying dominant mechanisms of resistance to EGFR-targeted therapies, and highlight the importance of monitoring genetic events that are not direct drug targets but provide non-invasive molecular information that may guide clinical management.

  Study EGAS00001002908

• NEOPREDICT-Lung: Neoadjuvant Immunotherapy for Resectable NSCLC

  Links via: DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-024-02965-0 PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38689060/ Journal: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-024-02965-0 Abstract Antibodies targeting the immune checkpoint molecules PD-1, PD-L1 and CTLA-4 administered alone or in combination with chemotherapy are standard of care in most patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancers. When given prior to curative surgery, tumor responses and improved event-free survival are achieved. New antibody combinations may be more efficacious and tolerable. In an ongoing, open-label phase II study, 60 biomarker-unselected, treatment-naïve patients with resectable non-small cell lung cancer were randomized to receive two preoperative doses of nivolumab (anti-PD-1) with or without relatlimab (anti-LAG-3) antibody therapy. The primary study endpoint was feasibility of surgery within 43 days, which was met by all patients. Curative resection was achieved in 95% of patients. Secondary endpoints included pathological and radiographic response rates, pathologically complete resection rates, disease-free and overall survival rates, and safety. Major pathological (≤10% viable tumor cells) and objective radiographic responses were achieved in 27% and 10% (nivolumab), and 30% and 27% (nivolumab and relatlimab) of patients, respectively. In 100% (nivolumab) and 90% (nivolumab and relatlimab) of patients tumors and lymph nodes were pathologically completely resected. With 12 months median duration of follow-up, disease-free survival and overall survival rates at 12 months were 89% and 93% (nivolumab), and 93% and 100% (nivolumab and relatlimab). Both treatments were safe with grade ≥ 3 treatment-emergent adverse events reported in 10% and 13% of patients per study arm. Exploratory analyses provided insights into biological processes triggered by preoperative immunotherapy. This study establishes the feasibility and safety of dual targeting of PD-1 and LAG-3 prior to lung cancer surgery.

  Study EGAS00001007753

• Integrative analysis reveals a macrophage-predominant, immunosuppressive immune microenvironment and subtype-specific therapeutic vulnerabilities in advanced salivary gland cancer

  Background Salivary gland cancers (SGC) are rare and heterogeneous malignant tumors. Advanced SGC lack established treatment options and show poor response to immunotherapy. Here, an integrative multi-omics analysis in a large cohort of advanced SGC revealed insights into the tumor immune microenvironment (TIM) and distinct mechanisms of immune evasion. Methods A total of 104 patients with recurrent/metastatic SGC from the DKTK MASTER program were included in this study. Whole-exome or whole-genome sequencing and RNA-sequencing was performed on fresh frozen tumor tissue. The tumor immune microenvironment was analyzed using CIBERSORT deconvolution analysis and immune gene expression scores in bulk RNA-sequencing data. Single-nuclei sequencing and immunohistochemistry analyses were performed in selected samples. Results were validated in bulk RNA-sequencing data of a previously published independent dataset. Results Bulk transcriptome analysis revealed an immune-deserted TIM in the majority of advanced SGC samples. Immune exclusion was most prominent in adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) subgroup 1 exhibiting a downregulation of the antigen processing machinery. Only a small subset of advanced SGC, including few adenoid cystic carcinoma, exhibited T-cell inflammation, which was correlated with tumor mutational burden in Non-ACC samples. Subtype specific expression of immune checkpoints as well as cancer testis antigens were identified with prominent expression of VTCN1 in luminal cells within ACC. Single-cell RNA-sequencing and bulk RNA-seq deconvolution analysis validated immune cell exclusion and revealed a TIM that was dominated by M2 macrophages across SGC subtypes. Among evaluable patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors, a high T-cell to macrophage ratio was associated with clinical benefit. Conclusions These data support biomarker-based development of immune-checkpoint inhibition and the development of novel immune-checkpoint inhibitors and cellular therapies in SGC.

  Study EGAS50000000809

• Intra-tumor heterogeneity of localized lung adenocarcinomas defined by multi-region sequencing

  Background: Intra-tumor heterogeneity (ITH) may have profound impacts on biopsy strategy, characterization of actionable targets, treatment planning, and drug resistance. ITH of lung cancers has not been well studied. Methods: We performed multi-region whole exome sequencing (average sequencing depth 277x) on 48 tumor regions from 11 resected lung adenocarcinomas (8 stage I, 2 stage II and one stage III tumors) followed by deep sequencing validation (average sequencing depth 863x). Results: All tumors showed clear evidence of spatial ITH. On average, 76% of all mutations and 20/21 known cancer gene mutations were present in all regions of individual tumors (trunk mutations). Copy number analysis did not show substantial difference in large-scale chromosome aberrations. A canonical KRAS p.G12C mutation was detected in only 1 of 4 tumor regions (branch mutations) at exome depth but detected in all four tumor regions (trunk mutations) at increased sequencing depth. In addition, many heterogeneous branch mutations defined by exome sequencing were detectable in all regions of individual tumors with increasing sequencing depth. Significant differences in mutational spectrum were observed in 6 tumors indicating that specific mutational processes were likely operative at different times during development of these tumors. With a median follow up of 21 months post surgery, 3 patients have relapsed and all 3 patients presented with significantly larger fractions of subclonal mutations in their primary tumors. Conclusions: Although multi-region sampling is still required to fully assess ITH complexity, single biopsy analysis at appropriate depth might be sufficient to identify the majority of known cancer gene mutations in localized lung adenocarcinomas. Larger subclonal mutation fractions may be associated with increased likelihood of postsurgical relapse in patients with localized lung adenocarcinomas. Studies on larger cohort, ideally with comprehensive clinical annotation and repeat biopsy at relapse are needed to fully understand the clinical impact of ITH.

  Study EGAS00001000930

• Deep single-cell RNA sequencing data for 11138 T cells from tumour, adjacent normal tissue and peripheral blood of treatment-naive CRC patients. The DATA ACCESS AGREEMENT is provided at https://github.com/zhangyybio/single-T-cell-data-access. Applicants can request access to the data by directly downloading it or by sending an email to cancerpku@pku.edu.cn. The process that is used to approve an application includes verifying the institution, participants and research purposes of the application. In general this process will take about two weeks. In principal, any scientific research program complying with the laws and bioethic regulation policies of China will be approved.

  T cells are central players in cancer immunotherapy1, yet some of their fundamental properties such as development and migration within tumours remain elusive. The enormous T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire, required for recognising foreign and self-antigens2,3, could serve as lineage tags to track these T cells in tumours4. Here, we obtained transcriptomes of 11,138 single T cells from 12 colorectal cancer (CRC) patients and developed STARTRAC (Single T-cell Analysis by Rna-seq and Tcr TRACking) indices to quantitatively analyse dynamic relationships among 20 identified T cell subsets with distinct functions and clonalities. While both CD8+ effector and “exhausted” T cells exhibited high clonal expansion, they were independently connected with tumour-resident CD8+ effector memory cells, implicating a TCR-based fate decision. Of the CD4+ T cells, the majority of tumour-infiltrating Tregs showed clonal exclusivity, whereas certain Treg clones were developmentally linked to multiple TH clones. Notably, we identified two IFNG+ TH1-like clusters in tumours, the GZMK+ TEM and CXCL13+ TH1-like clusters, which were associated with distinct IFN-γ-regulating transcription factors, EOMES/RUNX3 and BHLHE40, respectively. Only CXCL13+BHLHE40+ TH1-like cells were preferentially enriched in tumours of microsatellite-instable (MSI) patients, which might explain their favourable response rates to immune-checkpoint blockade. Furthermore, we found IGFLR1 to be highly expressed in both CXCL13+BHLHE40+ TH1-like and CD8+ exhausted T cells and possessed co-stimulatory functions. Our integrated STARTRAC analyses provides a powerful avenue to comprehensively dissect the T cell properties in CRC, which could shed new insights into the dynamic relationships of T cells in other cancers

  Study EGAS00001002791

• Foregut Microbiome and Risk of Gastric Intestinal Metaplasia, and Gastric Cancer Risk

  The study is composed of two sub-studies. The first study, conducted by NYU Grossman School of Medicine, is a case-control study of 89 cases with gastric intestinal metaplasia (IM) and 89 matched controls who underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy at three sites affiliated with NYU Langone Health. Shotgun metagenomic sequencing using oral wash samples from the 89 case-control pairs and antral mucosal brushing samples from 55 case-control pairs were conducted. The other study, conducted by Vanderbilt University Medical Center, is a prospective case-control study on the oral microbiome and gastric cancer risk, utilizing shotgun metagenomic sequencing data of pre-diagnostic buccal samples from 319 Asians, 118 African Americans and 51 European Americans. This study includes data from three population-based studies: the Southern Community Cohort Study (SCCS), the Shanghai Women's Health Study (SWHS), and the Shanghai Men's Health Study (SMHS). The SWHS and SMHS include 74,941 women aged 40-70 years and 61,480 men aged 40-74 years, respectively, who were permanent residents of Shanghai and recruited to the cohorts between 1997 and 2006. The SCCS is an ongoing prospective cohort study, including ~86,000 participants recruited during 2002 and 2009 from 12 Southeastern states. Nearly 67% of study participants are African Americans (AAs) and the remaining are European American (EA) subjects.

  Study phs002566

• The Haplotype-Resolved Genome and Epigenome of the Aneuploid HeLa Cancer Cell Line

  The genomic architecture of HeLa remains largely unexplored beyond its karyotype, partly because like many cancers, its extensive aneuploidy renders such analyses challenging. We carried out haplotype-resolved whole-genome sequencing of the HeLa CCL-2 strain, examined point- and indel-mutation variations, mapped copy-number variations and loss of heterozygosity regions, and phased variants across full chromosome arms. We also investigated variation and copy-number profiles for HeLa S3 and eight additional strains. We find that HeLa is relatively stable in terms of point variation, with few new mutations accumulating after early passaging. Haplotype resolution facilitated reconstruction of an amplified, highly rearranged region of chromosome 8q24.21 at which integration of the human papilloma virus type 18 (HPV-18) genome occurred and that is likely to be the event that initiated tumorigenesis. We combined these maps with RNA-seq and ENCODE Project data sets to phase the HeLa epigenome. This revealed strong, haplotype specific activation of the proto-oncogene MYC by the integrated HPV-18 genome approximately 500 kilobases upstream, and enabled global analyses of the relationship between gene dosage and expression. These data provide an extensively phased, high-quality reference genome for past and future experiments relying on HeLa, and demonstrate the value of haplotype resolution for characterizing cancer genomes and epigenomes. Reprinted from Adey et. al. 2013, Nature, with permission from Nature Publishing Group.

  Study phs000642

• Resistance to anti-EGFR therapy in colorectal cancer

  Monoclonal antibodies targeting the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR), such as cetuximab and panitumumab, have evolved to important therapeutic options in metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC). However, almost all patients with clinical response to anti-EGFR therapies show disease progression within a few months and little is known about mechanism and timing of resistance evolution. Here we performed whole genome sequencing of plasma DNA (plasma-Seq) from patients treated with anti-EGFR therapy. We demonstrate that development of resistance to anti-EGFR therapies is frequently associated with focal amplifications of KRAS, MET, and ERBB2. However, we also show that focal KRAS amplifications can be acquired in tumor genomes of patients under cytotoxic chemotherapy. Furthermore, we provide evidence that specific chromosomal polysomies, such as overrepresentations of 12p and 7p, harboring KRAS and EGFR, respectively, determine responsiveness to anti-EGFR therapy. In contrast, employing ultra-sensitive deep sequencing of genes associated with anti-EGFR resistance, such as KRAS, BRAF, PIK3CA, and EGFR, we did not observe the occurrence of novel, acquired mutations. Overall, whole-genome plasma DNA sequencing represents a non-invasive blood-based surrogate measure of changes in tumors. As such, plasma-Seq enables the identification of novel mutant clones and may therefore facilitate early adjustments of therapies that may delay or prevent disease progression.

  Study EGAS00001000582

• Characterization_of_genomic_landscape_of_Peripheral_T_cell_Lymphomas__not_otherwise_specified__PTCL_NOS_

  Peripheral T-cell lymphomas not otherwise specified (PTCL-NOS) represent a heterogeneous group of nodal and extra-nodal mature T-cell lymphomas, with a low prevalence in Western countries. PTCL-NOSs account for about 25% of all PTCLs and are currently diagnosed based on exclusion criteria, as this lymphomas lack unifying morphological, phenotypic and genomic features. Cytogenetic and FISH analysis of PTCL-NOS samples have not revealed recurrent pathogenetic abnormalities, while gene expression profiling has shown only partial ability to segregate cases representing homogeneous clinic-pathological entities. This underscores the need to look at PTCL-NOS with innovative and high-throughput approaches to identify recurrent genetic lesions that could further our understanding of the biology of this heterogeneous group of diseases, provide better diagnostic tools and perhaps new targets for innovative treatments. Our aim is to study ~15 patients affected by PTCL-NOS. Out study will be funded by a private, non-profit Italian cancer research fund (Associazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul Cancro, www.airc.it) based on a grant owned by Anna Dodero and Cristiana Carniti, hematologists at INT. Samples will be analysed by whole genome sequencing using Illumina X10 machines, on a 150bp-PE protocol. Data will be analysed using the pipeline available in Team 78, under the supervision of Peter Campbell, the WTSI faculty who will oversee the project, and by Francesco Maura, visiting scientist at the WTSI.

  Study EGAS00001002057

• Towards standardized whole exome sequencing (WES) for cancer patients: lessons from a multicentric pilot study

  A growing number of druggable targets and national initiatives for precision oncology necessitate broader genomic profiling for many cancer patients. Whole exome sequencing (WES) offers unbiased analysis of the entire coding sequence, segmentation-based detection of copy number alterations (CNAs), and accurate determination of complex biomarkers including tumor mutational burden (TMB), homologous recombination repair deficiency (HRD), and microsatellite instability (MSI). To assess the inter-institution variability of clinical WES, we performed a comparative pilot study between German Centers of Personalized Medicine (ZPMs) from five participating institutions. Tumor and matched normal DNA from 30 patients were analyzed using custom sequencing protocols and bioinformatic pipelines. Calling of somatic variants was highly concordant with a sensitivity between 91-95% and a positive predictive value (PPV) of 82-95% compared with a three-institution consensus and full agreement for 16 of 17 druggable targets. Deviations were observed for cases with low VAF or coverage, differing annotations, and different filter protocols. CNAs showed overall agreement in 76% for the genomic sequence with high wet-lab variability. Complex biomarkers correlated strongly between institutions (HRD: 0.79-1, TMB: 0.97-0.99) and all institutions agreed on microsatellite instability. This study will contribute to the development of quality control frameworks for comprehensive genomic profiling and sheds light onto parameters that require stringent standardization.

  Study EGAS00001007363

• 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

• Dynamics of sequence and structural cell-free DNA landscapes in small-cell lung cancer

  Patients with small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) have an exceptionally poor prognosis, calling for improved real-time non-invasive biomarkers of therapeutic response. We performed targeted error-correction sequencing on 171 serial plasmas and matched white blood cell (WBC) DNA from 33 patients with metastatic SCLC who received systemic treatment with chemotherapy or immunotherapy-containing regimens. Tumor-derived sequence alterations and plasma aneuploidy were evaluated serially and combined to assess changes in total cell-free tumor load (cfTL). Longitudinal dynamic changes in cfTL were monitored to determine circulating cell-free tumor DNA (ctDNA) molecular response during therapy. Combined tiered analyses of tumor-derived sequence alterations and plasma aneuploidy allowed for assessment of ctDNA molecular response in all patients. Molecular responses captured the therapeutic effect and long-term clinical outcomes in a more accurate and rapid manner compared to radiographic imaging. Patients with sustained molecular responses had longer overall (log-rank p=0.0006) and progression-free (log-rank p<0.0001) survival, with molecular responses detected on average 4 weeks earlier than imaging. ctDNA analyses provide a rapid approach for the assessment of early on-therapy molecular responses and have important implications for the management of patients with SCLC, including the development of improved strategies for real-time tumor burden monitoring.

  Study EGAS00001006831

• Development of actionable molecular targets and/or biomarkers for prognostication and patient stratification in gynecological cancer based on whole-exome sequencing and epigenomic analysis

  We collected 92 endometrial hyperplasia lesions (48 non-atypical from 30 cases and 44 atypical from 24 cases) and matched normal tissues/whole blood. The purpose of this study is to develop actionable molecular targets and/or biomarkers for prognostication and patient stratification.

  Study JGAS000642

• The_effects_of_chemotherapy_and_radiation_in_human_oesophageal_epithelium__low_input

  Human oesophagus is a patchwork of competing mutant clones. We wish to see how this patchwork is altered under the extreme selection pressures of chemotherapy and radiotherapy both individually and combined. We will sequence 0.25mm diameter punch biopsies from patients who have undergone chemotherapy and radiotherapy to assess how the mutational landscape has changed.

  Study EGAS00001007416

• The_effects_of_chemotherapy_and_radiation_in_human_oesophageal_epithelium

  Human oesophagus is a patchwork of competing mutant clones. We wish to see how this patchwork is altered under the extreme selection pressures of chemotherapy and radiotherapy both individually and combined. We will sequence 2mm2 contiguous pieces of oesophageal epithelium from patients who have undergone chemotherapy and radiotherapy to assess how the mutational landscape has changed.

  Study EGAS00001007417