Pan-cancer analysis

In 2018, The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Research Network used exome, transcriptome, and DNA methylome data to develop an integrated picture of commonalities, differences, and emergent themes across tumor types.

Conducted through a harmonized analysis of 7,108 whole-genome-sequenced tumors across 23 cancer types, the study aimed to understand the impact of genomic changes on disease progression and therapy resistance.

[6] Metastatic tumors exhibited lower intratumor heterogeneity and conserved karyotypes, displaying modest increases in mutations but elevated frequencies of structural variants.

The study highlighted the variable contributions of mutational footprints and identified specific genomic differences between primary and metastatic stages across various cancer types.

The findings offer valuable insights into tumor progression and therapy resistance mechanisms, laying the groundwork for potential personalized treatment strategies across various cancers.