Abstract CN06-03: Disease dynamics: Cancers evolving fast and slow or not at all

This study found that BE that progressed to EA was characterized by punctuated chromosome instability with gains or losses of whole chromosomes or large regions of chromosomes that became significant 48 months before EA diagnosis followed by catastrophic genome doublings in the 24 months before cancer. In contrast, BE that did not progress to EA was largely characterized by somatic genomic "stasis" at the level of 1M SNP arrays for prolonged periods up to more than two decades. These results suggest a four year "window of opportunity" for early detection although future research may expand this window. These findings are supported by recent results based on genomic studies of advanced cancers that suggest that chromosome instability followed by genome doublings may be common across many cancer types in addition to esophageal, including breast, lung, colon, and ovary, and that nearly 40% of all human cancers have undergone a genome doubling event (Carter et al Nat Biotechnology 2012; 30: 413; Zach et al Nat Genetic 2013; 45: 1134). Well-designed studies of cancers evolving in space and time are needed to determine the timing of genomic alterations, including chromosome instability and genome doublings, relative to the onset and progression of cancers in addition to EA.Citation Format: Brian J. Reid. Disease dynamics: Cancers evolving fast and slow or not at all. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirteenth Annual AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention...
Source: Cancer Prevention Research - Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Tags: Other Topics in Biomarkers and Early Detection Research: Oral Presentations - Invited Abstracts Source Type: research