3288 results for "ovarian cancer"

in 12.67 milliseconds.

• Copy numbers in resectable gastric cancer treated with surgery alone

  Purpose: Gastric cancer is a heterogeneous disease requiring stratification to recognize its underlying biology and variable clinical outcome. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) recognizes four molecular subgroups: Epstein-Barr virus positive (EBV+) and microsatellite instable (MSI) with superior survival compared to genomically stable (GS) and chromosomal instable (CIN). Since classification criteria to distinguish GS from CIN were not defined, alternative markers such as Lauren’s histopathology or CDH1/p53 immunohistochemistry are commonly applied. Here we compared survival of gastric cancer subgroups determined by four methods. Experimental Design: EBV- and microsatellite stable tumors from a total of 309 patients treated with surgery alone were assigned to subgroups by: (i) specific copy number aberrations as determined by TCGA (GS or CIN), (ii) genome instability index (GII; high or low), (iii) Lauren’s classification (diffuse or intestinal), and (iv) CDH1/p53 immunohistochemistry (IHC; aberrant CDH1, normal-, or aberrant p53 expression). Subgroups were associated with cancer-related survival (CRS). Results: Five-year CRS was 42.0% for diffuse and 49.5% for intestinal type tumors, and 57.8% for GS and 41.6% for CIN tumors. Classification by GII or CDH1/p53 IHC did not correlate with CRS. The combination of TCGA and Lauren classifications resulted in four distinct subgroups. Five-year CRS for GS-intestinal (n=24), GS-diffuse (n=57), CIN-intestinal (n=142) and CIN-diffuse (n=86) was 61.4%, 56.5%, 47.6%, and 31.5%, respectively. Conclusions: TCGA’s GS and CIN have additional prognostic value to Lauren’s diffuse and intestinal subgroups in gastric cancer. GS-intestinal, GS-diffuse, CIN-intestinal and CIN-diffuse constitute biologically distinct entities and are suggested as stratification variables for future studies.

  Study EGAS00001007394

• Genetic immune escape landscape in primary and metastatic cancer

  Immune surveillance escape is a hallmark of tumorigenesis1. Multiple studies have characterized the immune escape landscape across several untreated early-stage primary cancer types2–4. However, whether late-stage treated metastatic tumors present differences in genetic immune escape (GIE) prevalence and dynamics remains unclear. Here, we performed a pan-cancer characterization of GIE prevalence across six immune escape pathways in 6,457 uniformly processed Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) tumor samples including 58 cancer types from 1,943 primary untreated patients and 4,514 metastatic patients. To effectively address the complexity of the Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA-I) locus and to characterize its tumor status, we developed LILAC, an open-source integrative framework. We demonstrate that one in four tumors harbor GIE alterations, with high mechanistic and frequency variability across cancer types. GIE prevalence is highly consistent between primary and metastatic tumors for most cancer types with few exceptions such as prostate and thyroid carcinomas that have increased immune evasion frequencies in metastatic tumors. Positive selection analysis revealed that GIE alterations are frequently selected for in tumor evolution and that focal LOH of HLA-I, unlike non-focal LOH of HLA-I, tends to lose the HLA allele that presents the largest neoepitope repertoire. We also unraveled tumor genomic features contributing to immune escape incidence, including DNA repair deficiency, APOBEC activity, tobacco associated mutation load and viral DNA integration. Finally, there is a strong tendency for mid and high tumor mutation burden (TMB) tumors to preferentially select LOH of HLA-I for GIE whereas hypermutated samples favor global immune evasion strategies. Our results indicate that genetic immune escape is generally a pre-metastatic event during tumor evolution and that tumors adapt different strategies depending on their neoepitope burden.

  Study EGAS00001006123

• Analysis of T-cell receptor clonotypes in tumor micro-environment identifies shared cancer type-specific signatures

  Despite the conventional view that a truly random V(D)J recombination process should generate a highly diverse immune repertoire, emerging reports suggest that there is a certain bias towards the generation of shared/public immune receptor chains. These studies were performed in viral diseases where public T-cell receptors (TCR) appear to confer better protective responses. Selective pressures generating common TCR clonotypes are currently not well understood but it is believed that they confer a growth advantage. As very little is known about public TCR clonotypes in cancer, here we set out to determine the extent of shared TCR clonotypes in the intra-tumor microenvironments of virus- and non-virus- driven head and neck cancers using TCR sequencing. We report that tumor-infiltrating T-cell clonotypes were indeed shared across individuals with the same cancer type, where the majority of shared sequences were specific to the cancer type (ie viral versus non-viral). These shared clonotypes were not particularly enriched in EBV-associated nasopharynx cancer, but in both cancers, exhibited distinct characteristics, namely shorter CDR3 lengths, restricted V- and J-gene usages and also demonstrated convergent V(D)J recombination. Many of these shared TCRs were expressed in patients with a shared HLA background. Pattern recognition of CDR3 amino acid sequences revealed strong convergence to specific motifs that were unique to each cancer type, suggesting they may be enriched for specificity to common antigens found in the tumor microenvironment. The identification of shared TCRs in infiltrating tumor T-cells not only adds to our understanding of the tumor adaptive immune recognition but could also serve as disease-specific biomarkers and guide the development of future immunotherapies.

  Study EGAS00001005480

• Cambridge Neoadjuvant Cancer of the Prostate (CANCAP03): A Window Study into the Effects of Olaparib ± Degarelix in Primary Prostate Cancer.

  Study: Cambridge Neoadjuvant Cancer of the Prostate (CANCAP03): A Window Study into the Effects of Olaparib ± Degarelix in Primary Prostate Cancer. EudraCT Number: 2014-004417-86 Clinicaltrials.gov Number: NCT02324998 Purpose: Investigate combined PARP and androgen inhibition in primary prostate cancer. Aim: To understand the biological mechanism(s) underlying clinical efficacy, especially in the absence of mutations in homologous recombination (HR) repair pathways. Dataset: Single-nuclear RNA sequencing data from post-treatment radical prostatectomy tissue cores for six patients, 3 from each of olaparib and olaparib and degarelix cohorts. Samples were processed for nuclear isolation and extraction, prior to single-nuclear RNA sequencing. 10x libraries were constructed using the 10x supplied protocol, briefly: individual nuclei were trapped into droplets with a single bead, and poly A transcripts were barcoded during reverse transcription. Complementary DNA was amplified, and libraries were prepared for sequencing on NovaSeq 6000 using S4 flow cell (100k reads per cell). FASTQ files were processed using CellRanger pipeline (10X Genomics). Outputs from the CellRanger pipeline were analysed using the Seurat package (v4.9.9.9049) in R (v4.2.0). Processed data is provided as a Seurat object.

  Study EGAS50000000880

• Androgen deprivation therapy promotes an inflammatory and obesity-like microenvironment in periprostatic fat

  Prostate cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related death and morbidity worldwide. Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is the cornerstone of management for advanced disease. The use of androgen deprivation therapies is associated with multiple side effects, including metabolic syndrome and truncal obesity. At the same time, obesity has been associated with both prostate cancer development and disease progression, linked to its effects on chronic inflammation at a tissue level. The connection between androgen deprivation therapy, obesity, inflammation, and prostate cancer progression is well-established in clinical settings; however, an understanding of the changes in adipose tissue at the molecular level induced by castrating therapies is missing. Here we investigated the transcriptional changes in periprostatic fat tissue induced by profound androgen deprivation therapy in a group of patients with high-risk tumours compared to a matching untreated cohort. We find that androgen deprivation therapy is associated with a pro-inflammatory and obesity-like adipose tissue microenvironment. This study suggests that the beneficial effect of androgen deprivation therapy may be partially counteracted by metabolic and inflammatory side effects in the adipose tissue surrounding the prostate.

  Study EGAS00001003286

• Patient-tailored design for selective co-inhibition of leukemic cell subpopulations

  The extensive primary and secondary drug resistance in many cancer types requires rational approaches to design personalized and selective combinatorial therapies that do not only show synergistic effect in overall cancer cell killing but also result in minimal toxic side effects on non-malignant cells. To address the combinatorial explosion in the number of relevant combinations, we implemented a machine learning approach that prioritizes patient-customized drug combinations with a desired synergy-efficacy-toxicity balance by combining single-cell RNA-sequencing with ex vivo single-agent testing in scarce patient-derived primary cells. When applied to two diagnostic and two refractory AML patient cases, each with a different genetic background, our integrated approach accurately predicted patient-specific combinations that were shown to result not only in synergistic cancer cell co-inhibition but were also capable of targeting specific AML cell subpopulations that emerge in differing stages of disease pathogenesis or treatment regimens. Our data-driven approach provides an unbiased means for systematic identification of personalized combinatorial regimens that selectively co-inhibit leukemic cells while avoiding inhibition of non-malignant cells, and highlight the relevance of considering cell heterogeneity for personalized cancer therapy.

  Study EGAS00001004614

• CRC GWAS on the Spanish population

  Genome-wide association study performed on the EPICOLON2 cohort, comprising colorectal cancer cases and matched controls of Spanish origin.

  Study EGAS00001003633

• 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

• Genomics of Relapsed Small Cell Lung Cancer Progression

  Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) accounts for nearly 15% of all patients with lung cancer. Though the response to initial therapy is favorable in many patients, a majority of patients go on to develop recurrent disease which is very difficult to treat. The response rates to chemotherapy are very low and most patients succumb to relapsed SCLC within a few months. Virtually no progress has been made in the treatment of SCLC in the last three decades. In order to better understand the molecular alterations in relapsed SCLC, we have generated exome and RNA sequence from normal, primary tumor and relapse tissues of SCLC patients.

  Study phs001049

• Extrachromosomal DNA Amplification Contributes to Small Cell Lung Cancer Heterogeneity and is Associated with Worse Outcomes

  Small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a very aggressive neuroendocrine lung cancer often associated with oncogenic MYC amplifications, which are known to drive SCLC heterogeneity marked by neuroendocrine (NE) and non-neuroendocrine (non-NE) cell states. The genetic mechanisms of MYC amplification and phenotypic plasticity between cell states is not known. Using data from cell-lines and a few patient-derived samples along with integrated whole-genome sequencing, long-range optical mapping, single-cell DNA sequencing, and fluorescence in situ hybridization, we have attempted to successfully characterize extrachromosomal DNA (ecDNA) as the primary source of MYC amplifications and driver fusions in SCLC.

  Study phs003190

• Multimodal cell-free DNA whole-genome TAPS is sensitive and reveals specific cancer signals

  This study presents a methodology for detecting circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) using deep whole-genome TET-Assisted Pyridine Borane Sequencing (TAPS), a less destructive alternative to bisulphite sequencing. The method enables simultaneous analysis of genomic and methylomic data for multi-cancer detection and monitoring minimal residual disease. In a diagnostic accuracy study across various cancer types, it achieved 85.3% sensitivity and 88.8% specificity, with validation done using matched tumour biopsies. Additionally, in silico validation showed strong discrimination at low ctDNA levels. The approach also successfully tracks tumour burden and ctDNA shedding from precancerous lesions post-treatment, making it ready for further clinical testing.

  Study EGAS50000000715

• ENU_CCK_81_cetuximab_pilot_project

  Cetuximab is a targeted monoclonal antibody against the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) which is used therapeutically for the treatment of KRAS wild-type colorectal cancer (CRC). The Cetuximab sensitive KRAS wild-type CRC cell line NCI-H508 has been treated with a fixed concentration of ENU for 24 hours and then selected with Cetuximab until drug resistant clones were ready to be picked and grown up as sub-clones of the parental cell line. These will have genes causally implicated in cancer sequenced to identify common point mutations in multiple independently derived drug resistant clones as a forward genetic screen for mechanisms of resistance to Cetuximab in CRC.

  Study EGAS00001001743

• A Study to Evaluate Denosumab in Young Patients With Primary Breast Cancer (D-Beyond)

  This is a prospective, single arm phase IIa trial in which patients with early breast cancer will receive pre-operatively two doses of denosumab 120mg subcutaneously one week apart (maximum 12 days) followed by surgery. Tumor, normal breast tissue and blood samples will be collected at baseline and at surgery. Post-operative treatment will be at the discretion of the investigator.Primary objective: to determine if a short course of RANKL inhibition with denosumab can induce a decrease in tumor proliferation rates as determined by Ki67 immunohistochemistry (IHC) in newly diagnosed, early stage breast cancer in pre-menopausal women.

  Study EGAS00001003252

• ENU_NCI_H508_cetuximab_fixed_concentration_project

  Cetuximab is a targeted monoclonal antibody against the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) which is used therapeutically for the treatment of KRAS wild-type colorectal cancer (CRC). The Cetuximab sensitive KRAS wild-type CRC cell line NCI-H508 has been treated with a fixed concentration of ENU for 24 hours and then selected with Cetuximab until drug resistant clones were ready to be picked and grown up as sub-clones of the parental cell line. These will have genes causally implicated in cancer sequenced to identify common point mutations in multiple independently derived drug resistant clones as a forward genetic screen for mechanisms of resistance to Cetuximab in CRC

  Study EGAS00001001744

• ENU_NCI_H508_Cetuximab_SecondRound

  Cetuximab is a targeted monoclonal antibody against the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) which is used therapeutically for the treatment of KRAS wild-type colorectal cancer (CRC). The Cetuximab sensitive KRAS wild-type CRC cell line NCI-H508 has been treated with a fixed concentration of ENU for 24 hours and then selected with Cetuximab until drug resistant clones were ready to be picked and grown up as sub-clones of the parental cell line. These will have genes causally implicated in cancer sequenced to identify common point mutations in multiple independently derived drug resistant clones as a forward genetic screen for mechanisms of resistance to Cetuximab in CRC

  Study EGAS00001001745

• Somatic_mutation_and_clonal_evolution_in_premalignant_lung_disease___WGS

  Cancer is a genetic disease caused by an accumulations of mutations, however many of these mutations have been identified in pathologically normal tissue. We aim to use laser-capture microscopy (LCM) to sample individual clones from the lung tissue of individuals with a variety of lung diseases (COPD, UIP, IPF, Emphysema, pulmonary hypertension). This will allow us to identify whether cancer-associated mutations appear in this normal tissue, assess the mutational burden present, and identify the mutational processes causing these mutations. Smoking is a large risk factor for developing many of these lung diseases so we are particularly keen to determining whether there is evidence of a smoking signature in these patients.

  Study EGAS00001002747

• Advancing Precision Oncology in a Humanized, Fully Autologous Mouse Model

  Progress in the early detection and treatment of cancer requires accurate model systems to further evaluate new, promising discoveries. Small animal and, in particular, mouse model systems are attractive to researchers for numerous reasons, including their ease of use and well-described platforms. The ability to grow human tumors in immune-deficient mice (so-called patient-derived xenografts, or PDXs) allows researchers to work directly with human cancer tissue in a controlled setting. However, PDX models are limited by their lack of an intact immune system. Immunotherapy has revolutionized clinical oncology, but lacks pre-clinical models of the human immune system and human cancer to investigate new modalities and limitations/toxicities of treatment regimens. The broad objective of this study is to validate an in vivo model to evaluate human tumors in the context of a complete and intact human immune system in a completely personalized and autologous fashion to study cancer immunotherapy. Herein, we will: (1) validate the ability of our humanized system to serve as a model for cancer immunotherapy treatment response and toxicity in patients with melanoma, including immunotherapy checkpoint blockade and vaccine strategies, and (2) extend our current work in melanoma by validating the ability to establish humanized mice and evaluate tumor growth and leukocyte development in autologous human pancreatic and colorectal tumors established in humanized mice. In each of these areas, we will leverage our multi-institutional team's individual expertise along with our institutional infrastructure to maximize the success of the experimental aims. The results from this project will be widely available to the general research community for future, hypothesis-driven research. Taken together, our study will meet multiple goals and address several unmet needs in cancer immunotherapy, thus significantly enhancing the applicability of a fully autologous and immunocompetent precision model system for use in translational oncology research.

  Study phs003090

• Detection of mutational patterns in cell free DNA (cfDNA) of colorectal cancer by custom amplicon sequencing

  Monitoring the mutational patterns of solid tumors during cancer therapy is a major challenge in oncology. Analysis of mutations in cell free (cf) DNA offers a non-invasive approach to detect mutations that may be prognostic for disease survival or predictive for primary or secondary drug resistance. A main challenge for the application of cfDNA as a diagnostic tool is the diverse mutational landscape of cancer. Here, we developed a flexible end-to-end experimental and bioinformatics workflow to analyze mutations in cfDNA using custom amplicon sequencing. Our approach relies on open software tools to select primers suitable for multiplex PCR using minimal cfDNA as input. In addition, we developed a robust linear model to identify specific genetic alterations from sequencing data of cfDNA. We used our method to design a custom amplicon panel suitable for detection of hotspot mutations relevant for colorectal cancer and analyzed mutations in serial cfDNA samples from 34 patients with advanced colorectal cancer. Our data demonstrates that recurrent and patient-specific mutational patterns can be reliably detected for the majority of patients. Furthermore, we show that the allele frequency of mutations in cfDNA correlates well with disease progression. Finally, we demonstrate that monitoring of cfDNA can outperform the predictive power of currently used tumor markers and reveal mechanisms of resistance to anti-EGFR antibody treatment.

  Study EGAS00001003382

• Drug-perturbation-based stratification of blood cancer

  As new generations of targeted therapies emerge and tumor genome sequencing discovers increasingly comprehensive mutation repertoires, the functional relationships of mutations to tumor phenotypes remain largely unknown. Here, we measured ex vivo sensitivity of 246 blood cancers to 63 drugs alongside genome, transcriptome, and DNA methylome analysis to understand determinants of drug response. We assembled a primary blood cancer cell encyclopedia data set that revealed disease-specific sensitivities for each cancer. Within chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), responses to 62% of drugs were associated with 2 or more mutations, and linked the B cell receptor (BCR) pathway to trisomy 12, an important driver of CLL. Based on drug responses, the disease could be organized into phenotypic subgroups characterized by exploitable dependencies on BCR, mTOR, or MEK signaling and associated with mutations, gene expression, and DNA methylation. Fourteen percent of CLLs were driven by mTOR signaling in a non–BCR-dependent manner. Multivariate modeling revealed immunoglobulin heavy chain variable gene (IGHV) mutation status and trisomy 12 as the most important modulators of response to kinase inhibitors in CLL. Ex vivo drug responses were associated with outcome. This study overcomes the perception that most mutations do not influence drug response of cancer, and points to an updated approach to understanding tumor biology, with implications for biomarker discovery and cancer care.

  Study EGAS00001001746

• Breast_cancer_topographs

  Breast cancer topography will be explored using a combination of multi-region whole geome sequencing and in-situ RNA sequencing of fixed tissue specimens.

  Study EGAS00001003698

• 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

• Gabriella Miller Kids First (GMKF) Pediatric Research Program in Susceptibility to Ewing Sarcoma Based on Germline Risk and Familial History of Cancer

  Ewing sarcoma (EWS) is a deadly bone cancer that occurs in children and adolescents. Mounting evidence suggests that a genetic predisposition exists for this pediatric cancer, although the specific genetic contribution has yet to be identified. EWS has never been linked to a specific cancer predisposition syndrome, although several case reports have been published that describe siblings and cousins with EWS. Furthermore, neuroectodermal tumors appear to occur more commonly in families with EWS. The two consistent epidemiology findings in EWS include a very strong Caucasian predilection and increased rates of hernia in EWS patients and their family members. Finally, the role of genetic microsatellite repeats in EWS tumorigenesis has been recently described, and these GGAA microsatellites are polymorphic in repeat size and location across the genome. The study goals of this Kids First project include (1) To identify cancer predisposition genes in EWS trios increasing disease risk, (2) To identify genome-wide GGAA microsatellite repeats in EWS trios increasing disease risk, and (3) To identity de novo mutation and structural variant rates in EWS trios reflecting underlying DNA repair defects that increase disease risk. As part of the Kids First Common Fund initiative, this study proposal will further elucidate the genetic contribution to pediatric cancer development. Around 375 of these trios were selected for whole genome sequencing as part of the Gabriella Miller Kids First fund. The EWS trios have been collected as part of the Children's Oncology Group's AEPI10N5 Study ("Genetic Epidemiology of Ewing Sarcoma"), and each trio has associated phenotypic data including a detailed family history. We will interrogate the sequence data using our genomic analysis pipeline at the University of Utah and the Utah Science Technology and Research initiative's (USTAR) Center for Genetic Discovery. We will look for the genetic contribution to EWS and the sequence data with be shared in a repository designated by the Kids First Common Fund. The WGS of these ~375 EWS trios will help us to understand the genetic origins of a deadly childhood cancer and may lead to novel strategies for prevention and treatment.

  Study phs001228

• Serrated Colorectal Cancer: An Emerging Disease Subtype

  This dataset represents two combined study populations. Serrated Colorectal Cancer: An Emerging Disease Subtype (called the Advanced Colorectal Cancer of Serrated Subtype Study or ACCESS Study) was a grant awarded to investigate a newly-recognized, biologically-distinct subtype of colorectal cancer (CRC) called “serrated CRC.” The objective of this project was to characterize factors related to the genetic predisposition, clinical presentation, and prognosis of serrated CRC. The study recruited incident invasive CRC cases diagnosed between April 2016 and December 2018, aged 20-74 years at diagnosis. Cases were identified through the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) cancer registry serving 13 counties in western Washington State. Eligibility for all individuals was limited to those who were English-speaking and could consent. Participation included completing a baseline epidemiologic questionnaire shortly after diagnosis, optional donation of a saliva sample for genetic analysis, and optional consent to release of medical records and tissue specimens related to their diagnosis. Tumor specimens were tested for serrated CRC-defining molecular characteristics. Further, we have vital status on all participants and cause of death on those that have died since enrollment. Hormones and Colon Cancer: Epigenetic Subtypes, Risks, and Survival (called the Post-Menopausal Hormones Study or PMH Study) was a grant awarded to investigate the impact of post-menopausal hormone use on colon cancer risk, tumor molecular characteristics, and outcomes. Eligible cases were females, newly diagnosed with invasive colorectal adenocarcinoma between October 1998 and February 2002, aged 50 to 74 years. Cases were residents of 10 out of the 13 counties in western Washington State served by the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) cancer registry. Eligibility for all individuals was limited to those who were English-speaking with available telephone numbers, in which they could be contacted. Unrelated population-based controls were randomly selected according to age distribution (in 5-year age intervals) of the eligible cases by using lists of licensed drivers from the Washington State Department of Licensing (for individuals aged 50 to 64 years) and rosters from the Health Care Financing Administration (now the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, for individuals older than 64 years). Participation included completing a baseline epidemiologic questionnaire, optional donation of a saliva sample for genetic analysis, and (for cases only) optional consent to release of medical records and tissue specimens related to their diagnosis. Tumor specimens were tested for epigenetic and other molecular characteristics. The ACCESS study was supported by funding from the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health (NCI/NIH) (R01CA196337, PI: Newcomb, PA), as was the PMH Study (R01CA076366, PI: Newcomb, PA). Additional support for the PMH Study came from the Seattle site of the Colon Cancer Family Registry (SCCFR) (U01CA167551, PI: Jenkins, M, and U01/U24CA074794, PI: Newcomb, PA). Additional support for case ascertainment was provided by the Cancer Surveillance System of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, which is funded by Contract Number HHSN261201300012I; NCI Control Number: N01 PC-2013-00012; Contract Number HHSN261201800004I; and NCI Control Number: N01 PC-2018-00004 from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Program of the National Cancer Institute with additional support from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center and the State of Washington. This research was also supported by the Genomics and Bioinformatics, Comparative Medicine, Specialized Pathology, Collaborative Data Services, and Experimental Histopathology Shared Resources of the Fred Hutch/University of Washington Cancer Consortium (P30 CA015704).Tumor marker testing was performed using formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded diagnostic tumor tissue specimens, and DNA extracted from those specimens. Testing for microsatellite instability (MSI) was based on either a 10-gene panel (BAT25, BAT26, BAT40, MYCL, D5S346, D17S250, ACTC, D18S55, D10S197, BAT34C4) or a 4-marker immunohistochemistry panel of DNA mismatch repair proteins (MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, PMS2). CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP) testing was based on a validated quantitative DNA methylation assay using a five-gene panel (CACNA1G, IGF2, NEUROG1, RUNX3, SOCS1) or eight-gene panel (CACNA1G, IGF2, NEUROG1, RUNX3, SOCS1, MLH1, CRABP1, CDKN2A). Somatic p.V600E BRAF mutation status was tested for using a fluorescent allele-specific PCR assay. KRAS mutations in codons 12 and 13 were also assessed through forward and reverse sequencing of amplified tumor DNA. DNA was extracted from blood/saliva samples using conventional methods. The genotyping panel completed was the Build37 OncoArray500K-C, including 1%-6% blinded duplicates to monitor the quality of the genotyping. Quality control procedures were performed to 1) make sure that there were no patterns of missing data by batch, study, or plate, 2) check for gender discrepancies and kinship, 3) complete Principal Component Analysis, and 4) test for Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE). Samples were excluded based on call rate, heterozygosity, unexpected duplicates, gender discrepancy, and unexpectedly high identity-by-descent or unexpected genotypic concordance (>65%) with another individual. In addition, variants were excluded based on call rate (98%), lack of HWE in controls (P

  Study phs002171

• Somatic Genome Dynamics of Barrett's Esophagus Patients with Non-Cancer and Cancer Outcomes

  A case-control study was designed with 80 participants diagnosed with Barrett's Esophagus (BE) selected from a larger case-cohort study (Li et al., 2014, PMID: 24253313) within the Seattle Barrett's Esophagus Program (SBEP) at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. The study included 40 cases with BE with non-cancer outcomes, "NCO", who did not progress to esophageal adenocarcinoma (EA), and 40 controls who progressed to an endoscopically detected, incident EA (cancer outcome, "CO"). For each patient, two timepoints were evaluated (T1 and T2). NCO were matched to CO based on age at T1 (T1=first endoscopy with sufficient sample availability), and time between T1 and T2 (T2 in CO=time of diagnosis of incident EA). In 10 NCO, a third time point (T3), a mean of 13.2 years after T1, was also sequenced. Mapped endoscopic biopsies, at 1/3 and 2/3 annotated distances from the gastroesophageal junction within the Barrett's segment, were sampled per patient at each timepoint. Each biopsy was purified to separate BE epithelium from stroma, and DNA was extracted from purified epithelium for 60X WGS and 2.5M SNP array; normal control blood (N=62) or normal gastric sample (N=18) were analyzed by 30X WGS and 2.5M SNP array. An additional seven normal gastric biopsy samples in seven patients with normal control blood were also sequenced at 60X as controls. All research participants contributing clinical data and esophageal samples to this study provided written informed consent, subject to oversight by the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center IRB Committee D (Reg ID 5619).

  Study phs001912

• Oncogenome of Kaposi Sarcoma

  Kaposi Sarcoma (KS) is an aggressive cancer caused by the Kaposi Sarcoma Herpesvirus (KSHV/HHV-8). Individuals with immunodeficiencies, exemplified by HIV, have an elevated risk of developing KS. However, understanding of the genetic factors contributing to KS progression is still limited. To explore potential genetic alterations in KS that could offer biological or therapeutic insights, whole exome sequencing was performed on 78 KS tumors and matching normal skin samples from 59 adults with KS (46 with HIV-associated KS and 13 with HIV-negative KS) receiving treatment at the Uganda Cancer Institute in Kampala, Uganda. Results showed a very low mutational burden in all samples except one (median = 11 mutations), which is the smallest number of mutations found across all 33 cancer types in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). No recurrent mutations were identified. Mutational signatures included impaired DNA mismatch repair and smoking. There was no evidence suggesting that multiple tumors from the same patient originated from a single clone. The number of genome copy alterations per genome was higher in tumors from individuals without HIV and those with advanced-stage disease. This suggests that lesions that take longer to develop may accumulate more alterations, although the overall number of alterations remains low compared to other cancers. These findings suggest that KS pathogenesis differs from other cancers, with KSHV viral infection and the expression of viral oncogenes being the primary drivers of carcinogenesis, rather than clonal oncogenic transformation arising from genetic alterations of cancer-related cellular genes.

  Study phs003897