Timing the landmark events in the evolution of clear cell renal cell cancer

Clear cell renal cancer is characterized by near-universal loss of the short arm of chromosome 3 (3p). This event arises through unknown mechanisms, but critically results in the loss of several tumor suppressor genes. We analyzed whole genomes from 95 biopsies across 33 patients with clear cell renal cancer (ccRCC) recruited into the Renal TRACERx study. We find novel hotspots of point mutations in the 5'-UTR of TERT, targeting a MYC-MAX repressor, that result in telomere lengthening. The most common structural abnormality generates simultaneous 3p loss and 5q gain (36% patients), typically through chromothripsis. Using molecular clocks, we estimate this occurs in childhood or adolescence, generally preceding emergence of the most recent common ancestor by years to decades. Similar genomic changes recent common ancestor by years to decades. Similar genomic changes are seen in inherited kidney cancers. Modeling differences in age-incidence between inherited and sporadic cancers suggests that the number of cells with 3p loss capable of initiating sporadic tumors is no more than a few hundred. Targeting essential genes in deleted regions of chromosome 3p could represent a potential preventative strategy for renal cancer.

• 20/07/2017
• 164 samples
• DAC: EGAC00001000000
• Technology: HiSeq X Ten