The Cancer Genome Atlas in Scientific American

Francis Collins and Anna D. Barker explains The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA – clever, no?) in detail from conception to the future for the March 2007 issue of Scientific American. It’s a daunting task that is overwhelming just to read and think about. I can’t begin to imagine all the logistics that must be coordinated, from sample collection to laboratory analysis to data compilation and analysis. But in theirs and others’ capable hands, I’m confident it will be accomplished step by step.

Here’s an excerpt:

Both the sequencing and genome characterization groups, many of which were participants in the Human Genome Project, can expect to encounter a far greater level of complexity than that in the DNA of normal cells. Once cells become cancerous, they are prone to an even greater rate of mutation as their self-control and repair mechanisms fail. The genomic makeup of individual cells can therefore vary dramatically within a single tumor, and the integrated teams will need to develop robust methods for efficiently distinguishing the “signal” of a potentially biologically significant mutation from the noise” of the high background rate of mutations seen in many tumors. Furthermore, tumors almost always harbor some nonmalignant cells, which can dilute the sample. If the tumor DNA to be sequenced is too heterogeneous, some important mutations may be missed.

For more, see my previous posts on The Cancer Genome Atlas and visit our sister b5media blog – Cancer Commentary.

Tags: cancer genome atlas, francis collins, anna barker, genetics, genes, genome, dna, diseases, illness, health, cancer