Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 19, 2026

Detecting Somatic Genetic Alterations in Tumor Specimens by Exon Capture and Massively Parallel Sequencing
Published on: October 18, 2013
Genomic approaches to accelerate cancer interception
Jennifer Beane1, Joshua D Campbell1, Julian Lel1
1Department of Medicine and BU-BMC Cancer Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
Abstract:
Although major advances have been reported in the last decade in the treatment of late-stage cancer with targeted and immune-based therapies, there is a crucial unmet need to develop new approaches to improve the prevention and early detection of cancer. Advances in genomics and computational biology offer unprecedented opportunities to understand the earliest molecular events associated with carcinogenesis, enabling novel strategies to intercept the development of invasive cancers. This Series paper will highlight emerging big data genomic approaches with the potential to accelerate advances in cancer prevention, screening, and early detection across various tumour types, and the challenges inherent in the development of these tools for clinical use. Through coordinated multicentre consortia, these genomic approaches are likely to transform the landscape of cancer interception in the coming years.
Insights
Genomic big data approaches offer new strategies for cancer prevention and early detection. These tools, developed through multicenter collaborations, promise to revolutionize cancer interception and improve patient outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Genomics
- Computational Biology
Background:
- Recent advances in targeted and immune-based therapies have improved late-stage cancer treatment.
- A critical need exists for improved cancer prevention and early detection strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight emerging big data genomic approaches for cancer prevention, screening, and early detection.
- To discuss the challenges in translating these genomic tools for clinical application.
Main Methods:
- Leveraging advances in genomics and computational biology.
- Analyzing big data to understand early molecular events in carcinogenesis.
- Coordinated multicenter consortia for tool development.
Main Results:
- Genomic approaches provide opportunities to intercept cancer development.
- These methods have the potential to accelerate progress in early cancer detection across tumor types.
Conclusions:
- Emerging big data genomic strategies are poised to transform cancer interception.
- Clinical implementation of these tools requires addressing inherent challenges.
Related Concept Videos
Adaptive Mechanisms in Cancer Cells
Some of the advantages that cancer cells have on normal cells include - enhanced ability to divide without terminally differentiating, induce new blood vessel formation,...
Targeted Cancer Therapies
There are several types of targeted therapies against specific...
Combination Therapies and Personalized Medicine
The combination of the drug acetazolamide and sulforaphane is a good example of combination therapy to treat cancer. The cells in the interior of a large tumor often die due to the hypoxic and...
Cancer-Critical Genes II: Tumor Suppressor Genes
When the function of certain critical genes, especially those involved in cell cycle regulation and cell growth signaling cascades, gets disrupted, it upsets the cell cycle progression. Such cells with unchecked cell cycles start proliferating uncontrollably and eventually develop into tumors.
Such genes that act...
Adaptive Mechanisms in Cancer Cells
Some of the advantages that cancer cells have on normal cells include - enhanced ability to divide without terminally differentiating, induce new blood vessel formation,...
Pharmacogenomics: Identification of New Drug Targets

