Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 30, 2025
12:13
Sequencing Small Non-coding RNA from Formalin-fixed Tissues and Serum-derived Exosomes from Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer Patients
Published on: November 19, 2019
6.9K
Comprehensive Genomic Profiling of Cell-Free DNA in Men With Advanced Prostate Cancer: Differences in Genomic
Raquel Zimmerman1,2, Mehmet A Bilen3,4, Elisabeth I Heath3
1University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
The Oncologist
|August 29, 2022
Summary
Black men with advanced prostate cancer show higher rates of androgen receptor gene alterations compared to White men. This finding from cell-free DNA analysis may inform future targeted therapies.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Genetics
- Genomics
Background:
- Advanced prostate cancer (aPC) disproportionately affects Black men, often presenting with aggressive features and poorer prognosis.
- Understanding the genomic differences in aPC between racial groups is crucial for developing effective treatments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the cell-free DNA (cfDNA) genomic landscape of advanced prostate cancer in Black versus White men.
- To identify potential genomic targets that may explain racial disparities in aPC outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of cfDNA comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) data from 743 patients with aPC (217 Black, 526 White) across six academic institutions.
- Statistical evaluation using Barnard's test and a Probabilistic Graphical Model (PGM) machine learning approach to assess associations between mutated genes and race.
Main Results:
- Significantly higher frequency of androgen receptor gene alterations in Black men compared to White men (55.3% vs 35%, P < .001).
- Elevated frequencies of alterations in EGFR, MYC, FGFR1, and CTNNB1 genes were observed in Black men.
- Concordant results between PGM analysis and Barnard's test.
Conclusions:
- This study represents the largest cohort of Black men with aPC undergoing cfDNA CGP.
- Genomic alterations in cfDNA differ between Black and White men with advanced prostate cancer.
- These findings may guide the development of race-specific therapeutic strategies and drug development for aPC.
