Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 3, 2025
06:46
Competing-Risk Nomogram for Predicting Cancer-Specific Survival in Multiple Primary Colorectal Cancer Patients after Surgery
Published on: September 27, 2024
211
Computationally reconstructing the evolution of cancer progression risk.
Kefan Cao1, Russell Schwartz2,3
1Computer Science Department, Carnegie Mellon University, 5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA.
Biorxiv : the Preprint Server for Biology
|January 7, 2025
Summary
This study uses computational methods and tumor phylogenetics to model early cancer evolution. Findings reveal general risk development mechanisms but highlight significant individual variability, impacting early diagnosis potential.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Computational Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Early cancer detection is challenging due to asymptomatic progression and accumulated genetic damage.
- Understanding cancer evolution is crucial for identifying progression drivers and improving early diagnostics or treatments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a computational approach to infer the pathway from healthy cells to aggressive cancer.
- To model the evolution of cancer progression risk from early stages using tumor phylogenetics and machine learning.
Main Methods:
- Utilized tumor phylogenetics to reconstruct past tumor development stages.
- Applied machine learning to analyze point mutation data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) cohorts.
- Formulated models of evolving progression risk in early tumor growth.
Main Results:
- Identified general mechanisms of risk development as cell populations commit to aggressive cancer.
- Observed significant variability in cancer evolution between and within different patient cohorts.
- Demonstrated that cancer progression risk evolves dynamically from the earliest stages.
Conclusions:
- Early cancer evolution follows general patterns but exhibits substantial inter-individual and inter-cohort variability.
- The findings suggest limitations for universal early diagnosis and intervention strategies.
- Results provide a basis for potentially extending current early detection and treatment capabilities.
Related Concept Videos
02:07Tumor Progression
6.2K
Tumor progression is a phenomenon where the pre-formed tumor acquires successive mutations to become clinically more aggressive and malignant. In the 1950s, Foulds first described the stepwise progression of cancer cells through successive stages.
Colon cancer is one of the best-documented examples of tumor progression. Early mutation in the APC gene in colon cells causes a small growth on the colon wall called a polyp. With time, this polyp grows into a benign, pre-cancerous tumor. Further...
Colon cancer is one of the best-documented examples of tumor progression. Early mutation in the APC gene in colon cells causes a small growth on the colon wall called a polyp. With time, this polyp grows into a benign, pre-cancerous tumor. Further...
6.2K
02:21Cancers Originate from Somatic Mutations in a Single Cell
11.5K
Cancer arises from mutations in the critical genes that allow healthy cells to escape cell cycle regulation and acquire the ability to proliferate indefinitely. Though originating from a single mutation event in one of the originator cells, cancer progresses when the mutant cell lines continue to gain more and more mutations, and finally, become malignant. For example, chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) develops initially as a non-lethal increase in white blood cells, which progressively...
11.5K
01:21Cancer Survival Analysis
328
Cancer survival analysis focuses on quantifying and interpreting the time from a key starting point, such as diagnosis or the initiation of treatment, to a specific endpoint, such as remission or death. This analysis provides critical insights into treatment effectiveness and factors that influence patient outcomes, helping to shape clinical decisions and guide prognostic evaluations. A cornerstone of oncology research, survival analysis tackles the challenges of skewed, non-normally...
328
02:53Adaptive Mechanisms in Cancer Cells
5.7K
Cancer cells accumulate genetic changes at an abnormally rapid rate due to the defects in the DNA repair mechanisms. From an evolutionary perspective, such genetic instability is advantageous for cancer development. Mutant cell lines accumulate a series of beneficial mutations that contribute to their progression into cancer.
Some of the advantages that cancer cells have on normal cells include - enhanced ability to divide without terminally differentiating, induce new blood vessel formation,...
Some of the advantages that cancer cells have on normal cells include - enhanced ability to divide without terminally differentiating, induce new blood vessel formation,...
5.7K
01:33Cancer-Critical Genes I: Proto-oncogenes
8.7K
Genes usually encode proteins necessary for the proper functioning of a healthy cell. Mutations can often cause changes to the gene expression pattern, thereby altering the phenotype.
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...
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...
8.7K
01:05Cancer-Critical Genes II: Tumor Suppressor Genes
7.3K
Genes usually encode proteins necessary for the proper functioning of a healthy cell. Mutations can often cause changes to the gene expression pattern, thereby altering the phenotype.
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...
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...
7.3K