Rare Cancer Explorer 1.0 (RaCE 1.0): a dedicated database and analytical platform focused on rare cancers.

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Bioinformatics
• Genomics

Background:

• Rare cancers present significant research challenges due to limited sample sizes and data scarcity.
• Existing pan-cancer databases often overlook rare cancer types, leading to insufficient attention and systematic data collection.
• High tumor heterogeneity and limited studies on genomic features, immune environments, and drug responses create critical gaps in current resources.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a dedicated database, the Rare Cancer Explorer (RaCE), for integrated curation, analysis, and visualization of rare cancers.
• To provide a comprehensive, one-stop data analysis toolkit for researchers studying rare solid tumors.
• To address limitations in existing databases and analytical tools for rare cancer research.

Main Methods:

• Consolidated 5451 samples across 13 rare solid tumor types from 69 independent datasets.
• Developed an integrated dataset meta-analysis module and eight dedicated rare cancer functional analysis modules.
• Incorporated functionalities for transcriptomics, immune infiltration, and immunotherapy response prediction, including gene effects and drug sensitivity modeling in rare cancer cell lines.

Main Results:

• RaCE offers a unified platform for rare cancer data analysis, integrating diverse data types.
• The database enables exploration of multi-layered insights, from gene functions to therapeutic targets.
• RaCE provides unique advantages over existing databases through comprehensive data integration and interactive exploration.

Conclusions:

• The Rare Cancer Explorer (RaCE) database significantly enhances rare cancer research by providing integrated data and advanced analytical tools.
• RaCE facilitates deeper understanding of rare cancer biology, accelerating the development of precision medicine and translational strategies.
• The freely accessible RaCE database empowers researchers globally to advance the study and treatment of rare cancers.