Review: Cancer and neurodevelopmental disorders: multi-scale reasoning and computational guide

Area of Science:

• Integrative biology and computational medicine
• Genetics and molecular pathology
• Neuroscience and oncology

Background:

• The etiological link between cancer and neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) remains unclear, despite shared genetic and molecular underpinnings.
• Individuals with NDDs, such as autism and schizophrenia, exhibit increased cancer susceptibility.
• Understanding this connection requires a multi-scale approach beyond organ-specific or disease-centric views.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the emerging connection between cancer (including pediatric tumors) and NDDs.
• To investigate how shared molecular pathways, proteins, and mutations can lead to divergent clinical presentations.
• To highlight the utility of computational strategies in deciphering these complex relationships and facilitating drug discovery.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive review emphasizing multi-scale data integration.
• Analysis of molecular-level data: gene mutations, isoforms, 3D structures, expression levels, and chromatin states.
• Focus on computational strategies for identifying connections, causality, and predicting clinical outcomes.

Main Results:

• Shared molecular factors contribute to both cancer and NDDs, explaining observed correlations.
• Integrated analysis of multi-scale molecular data can differentiate disease mechanisms despite shared origins.
• Computational approaches are crucial for dissecting the complexity and identifying therapeutic targets.

Conclusions:

• The connection between cancer and NDDs is rooted in shared molecular biology, necessitating integrated research.
• Computational analysis of multi-omics data provides a powerful framework for understanding divergent pathologies from common causes.
• This approach is vital for advancing drug discovery and personalized medicine for these interconnected conditions.