Interdisciplinary team science to understand and intercept rare cancers

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Genomics
• Translational Medicine

Background:

• Rare cancers are poorly understood, hindering precision oncology.
• Investigating rare cancers necessitates extensive multi-center collaboration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate the feasibility and utility of precision oncology in rare cancers.
• To establish the MASTER (Molecularly Advanced சிகிச்சை for Treatment-Experienced Rare) precision oncology network.

Main Methods:

• Clinical whole-genome/exome and RNA sequencing were performed on patients with advanced rare cancers.
• Molecular findings were used to guide targeted or mechanism-aware treatment selection.

Main Results:

• Genomic sequencing identified actionable molecular alterations in a substantial proportion of patients.
• Molecular mechanism-aware treatments led to clinical benefit in a significant number of patients with advanced rare cancers.
• The MASTER network successfully facilitated collaborative investigation and treatment of rare cancers.

Conclusions:

• Precision oncology approaches, including comprehensive genomic sequencing, are effective for advanced rare cancers.
• The MASTER network model can overcome challenges in rare cancer research and treatment.
• This approach lays the foundation for future clinical trials in rare cancers.