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• Development and Use of Network Infrastructure for High-Throughput GWA Studies

  The "Development and Use of Network Infrastructure for High-Throughput GWA Studies" project is collaboration between Group Health Cooperative (GH), the University of Washington (UW), and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (FHCRC). It is one of 5 sites participating in The Electronic Medical Records and Genomics (eMERGE) Network funded by the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) with additional funding from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS). The overall eMERGE project is designed to assess whether linking biorepositories of patients in healthcare delivery systems with electronic medical records (EMRs) is an efficient strategy for high-throughput genome wide association (GWA) studies and whether information can be pooled across sites. The primary phenotype in the Group Health/UW Aging and Dementia eMERGE study project is dementia. Phenotyped participants originated from four population-based sources. Seattle-area members of GH (a large integrated health care system in Washington State) consented and enrolled in 1) the University of Washington Alzheimer's Disease Patient Registry (ADPR) and 2) the Adult Changes in Thought (ACT) study, 3) Marshfield Clinic Personalized Medicine Research Project (PMRP), a population-based DNA, plasma and serum biobank of 20,000 adults, 4) Vanderbilt's BioVU, a de-identified DNA biobank. The ADPR (PI: Eric B. Larson; NIH/NIA U01 AG 006781) is a population-based registry of incident dementia cases designed to identify all new dementia cases within GH from 1987 to 1996. Potential dementia cases were identified through referrals from primary care physicians, mental health services, and neurologists, as well as review of CT scans, neurology, emergency room, geriatrician, and mental health clinic logs, and hospital discharge diagnoses. Medical history, physical, laboratory testing, and neuropsychological testing were performed on all consenting potential cases. These data were reviewed by a consensus conference including a neuropsychologist, study physicians, and an epidemiologist. After discussion of the case, dementia status is assigned using DSM-III-R criteria. Alzheimer's disease status was assigned using the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke-Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association (NINCDS-ADRDA) criteria. The study base of the ADPR population was stable with an attrition rate of less than 1%/year. The ACT study (PI: Eric B. Larson; NIH/NIA U01 AG 006781) is an ongoing community-based cohort study designed to determine the incidence of Alzheimer's Disease (AD), other types of dementia, and cognitive impairment and to determine risk factors for these conditions. The original cohort of 2,581 was enrolled in 1994-1996. An expansion cohort of 811 was enrolled in 2000-2002. Continuous enrollment to keep 2,000 persons enrolled and at-risk for dementia outcomes was begun in 2005. To date the study has accrued more than 4,000 participants. Dementia-free participants are enrolled in this cohort and evaluated every two years by study personnel with many evaluations including an assessment of cognitive functioning using the Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument (CASI), which is an extended version of the Mini-Mental State Examination that has been widely used in epidemiological studies of the elderly. Persons with CASI scores lower than 86 or in whom interviewers suspect unusual cognitive decline are followed up with dementia diagnostic evaluations which include physical and neurological examinations and neuropsychological tests. Medical records are reviewed, and laboratory tests and neuroimaging are obtained if not available. The dementia diagnoses and dementia subtypes are determined during a consensus conference attended by the examining clinicians and other study physicians, a neuropsychologist, and research nurse. After discussion of the case, dementia status is assigned using DSM-IV criteria. Alzheimer's disease status was assigned using NINCDS-ADRDA criteria. Individuals diagnosed with dementia are seen again one year following diagnosis using the same procedures. Individuals not diagnosed with dementia are returned to the pool of at-risk individuals and are seen at their next routinely scheduled biennial visit. The ACT sub-sample is stable; for the original cohort, median enrollment in GH was 19 years prior to joining the ACT study, and 85% of the cohort has ≥ 10 years of GH enrollment. DNA for the ADPR participants were obtained through a companion study, Genetic Differences in Cases and Controls (PI: Walter Kukull; NIH/NIA R01 AG007584). DNA obtained through both studies were extracted from blood using Gentra Systems Puregene methods. DNA concentration is determined by UV optical density. All samples are checked for quality by OD 260/280 ratio. For long-term storage, samples are aliquoted and stored at -70°C. The Marshfield study, Personalized Medicine Research Project (PMRP), a population-based DNA, plasma and serum biobank of 20,000 adults. PMRP was started in 2002 as a 3 Phase project. Completed in April 2004, the objectives of Phase I were to build and develop a large population-based biobank with DNA, plasma and serum samples to facilitate genomics research. Phase 1 was also to educate, inform and consult with the Marshfield Epidemiologic Study Area population and communities concerning potential studies, create the DNA foundation of the personalized medicine database and build the bioinformatics tools to store securely and analyze genotypic and phenotypic data. Phase I tasks included operation of the ethics and security advisory board, scientific advisory board and community advisory group. More than 18,000 residents aged 18 and above from 19 different zip codes surrounding Marshfield, WI were invited to participate in Phase I. After providing written informed consent, participants completed brief questionnaires that included questions about demographics, some environmental exposures, family history of disease, and adverse drug reactions, as well as family members living in the area. Participants provided 50ml of blood from which DNA was extracted and plasma and serum samples were stored. The informed consent process allowed access to electronic medical records and included language about non-disclosure of personal research results. A tick-off box was included so that participants could either allow or decline subsequent recontact for future research studied. The objectives of Phase II are to create the phenotypic database, establish the scientific and administrative infrastructure to support genetic mapping of the DNA and the initial discovery projects and genotype a sufficient portion of the genetic material to support these discovery projects. The objectives of Phase III are to expand the discovery projects, complete the genotyping of the genetic database and expand physician/health care provider education and community consultation. The Vanderbilt BioVU model uses discarded blood leftover from clinical care and de-identified clinical information, both of which are tracked with a Research Unique Identifier that is permanently disconnected from the medical record number used to generate it. The Vanderbilt IRB determined that the project does not qualify as "human subject" research under §46.102(f)(1)(2). The program has been reviewed by OHRP twice (the latest immediately prior to launch), and the determination of the Vanderbilt IRB that the project is consistent with the 8/10/2004 guidance has been validated. The model includes a simple opt out mechanism developed for patients who do not wish to have their samples included. Planning (including community involvement, ethics and IRB discussions, focus groups, development of operating procedures and pilot studies to assess them) began in May 2004, and the resource commenced sample collection in February 2007 and as of May 2009 contains approximately 56,000 samples. The current resource will be available to all Vanderbilt investigators who sign a Data Use Agreement. The resource represents Vanderbilt's broad patient population and thus provides a potential resource for research in a range of common and rare diseases as well as drug response or medication safety. BioVU patient protection model: There has been extensive involvement by the ethics community and the IRB to put in place procedures to provide privacy protection. The overall protection plan is multifaceted and includes a combination of technology and policy: (1) creation of the SD described above; (2) return of only the specific clinical data items requested by investigators (rather than the complete de-identified chart); (3) submission of any specific proposed project to the IRB and to a separate protocol review committee, both of which must approve; (4) implementing a Data Use Agreement that permits only approved queries and data analyses, specifically prohibits attempts at re-identification (at the risk of institutional sanctions), and mandates redeposit of all genetic information generated in a research study back into a genomic database; and (5) tracking and auditing all use.

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• National Cancer Institute Cancer Genome Characterization Initiative (CGCI)

  The Office of Cancer Genomics at the National Cancer Institute sponsored a series of studies as part of the Cancer Genome Characterization Initiative (CGCI) to assess novel emerging sequencing technologies in cancer. The CGCI program included comprehensive characterization of the genetic aberrations found in different pediatric and/or adult tumors. CGCI characterized a number of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas (including diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) from patients with and without HIV+ infection, follicular lymphoma (FL), as well as adult and pediatric Burkitt lymphomas), and additional HIV-associated tumors (including DLBCL, lung, and cervical cancers). All data from these projects is available at the NCI Genomic Data Commons. Individual project descriptions are available by disease on the substudy pages (links are included at the top of this page). Brief summaries are as follows: Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL) - CGCI investigators probed genomic alterations more deeply than had previously been possible by using state-of-the-art RNA sequencing (mRNA-seq) and whole genome shotgun sequencing (WGS) coupled with leading edge bioinformatics, data management and analysis approaches. The project sequenced tumor DNA and/or RNA from 117 NHL tumor samples and 10 cell lines. This included the genomes or exomes of 1 Follicular Lymphoma (FL) and 13 diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) cases, all with matched constitutional DNA sequenced to comparable depths, RNA-sequencing (mRNA-seq) of 92 DLBCL, 12 FL and 8 B-cell NHL cases with other histologies and 10 DLBCL-derived cell lines. The DLBCL cases and cell-lines are from the two major subtypes of DLBCL: germinal center B-cell (GCB) and activated B-cell (ABC). HIV+ Tumor Molecular Characterization Project (HTMCP) - This project was a joint effort of the Office of Cancer Genomics (OCG) and the Office of HIV and AIDS Malignancy (OHAM). Its goals were to characterize HIV-associated cancers (obtained from HIV-infected patients) and compare them to the same types of cancers from patients without HIV infection. Investigators performed 30X genome sequencing of 100 cases of paired tumor and germline DNA, along with transcriptome sequencing in each of 3 types of HIV+ tumors (DLBCL, lung and cervical cancers). These platforms allow discovery of mutations both in coding and non-coding genomic regions, gene expression and genomic alterations (including translocations, insertions and deletions). Comparing tumors of cancer patients both with and without HIV-infection provides insight into the potential function of this virus in certain cancers. Burkitt Lymphoma Genome Sequencing Project (BLGSP) - This project was a collaborative effort between the National Cancer Institute and the Foundation for Burkitt Lymphoma Research to develop a databank of the many alterations found in Burkitt lymphoma (BL), an uncommon type of Non-Hodgkin lymphoma that occurs most often in children and young adults. The goal of the BLGSP was to explore potential genetic changes in patients with BL that could lead to better prevention, detection and treatment of the cancer. The project characterized the alterations of the tumors' genomes (with matched normal as control) and transcriptomes by sequencing the DNA and RNA of each case. Using the data generated, the ultimate goals of the project was to discover the molecular changes that are present in BL patients and then determine how those changes correlate with treatment regimen and outcome. CGCI data is accessible at the NCI's Genomic Data Commons (GDC) via the GDC's Data Portal and from each of the CGCI Publication Pages at the GDC (Please see the "Supplemental Links" section of any CGCI publication's "Publication Information and Associated Data Files page" at the GDC.). Available datasets include raw sequencing data, datasets generated by the original CGCI research teams (fully annotated clinical information and higher-level/analyzed molecular characterization data), as well as higher level data generated by the GDC. Please see the CGCI Use and Publication Guidelines for updated details on the sharing of any CGCI substudy data, including how to cite CGCI.To learn more about the CGCI studies, please visit the CGCI Program website.

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• Genome, epigenome and RNA sequences of monozygotic twins discordant for multiple sclerosis

  Monozygotic (MZ) twins have been widely employed for dissection of the relative contributions of genetics and environment in disease. In multiple sclerosis (MS), an autoimmune demyelinating disease that commonly causes neurodegeneration and disability in young adults, disease discordance in MZ twins has been interpreted to indicate environmental importance in pathogenesis. However, genetic and epigenetic differences between MZ twins have been described, challenging the accepted experimental paradigm in disambiguating effects of nature and nurture. Here, we report the genome sequences of one MS-discordant MZ twin pair and messenger RNA (mRNA) transcriptome and epigenome sequences of CD4+ lymphocytes from three MS-discordant, MZ twin pairs. No reproducible differences were detected between co-twins among ~3.6 million single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) or ~0.2 million insertion-deletion polymorphisms (indels). Nor were any reproducible differences observed between siblings of the three twin pairs in HLA haplotypes, confirmed MS-susceptibility SNPs, copy number variations, mRNA and genomic SNP and indel genotypes, or expression of ~19,000 genes in CD4+ T cells. Only two to 176 differences in methylation of ~2 million CpG sites were detected between siblings of the three twin pairs, in contrast to ~800 differences in methylation between T cells of unrelated individuals and several thousand differences between tissues or normal and cancerous tissues. In the first systematic effort to estimate sequence variation among MZ co-twins, we did not find evidence for genetic, epigenetic or transcriptome differences that explained disease discordance. These are the first female, twin and autoimmune disease genome sequences reported.

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• Whole Genome Sequencing of a Triple Negative Breast Cancer Patient: Matched Primary Tumor, Normal, Metastasis and Xenograft samples

  Breast Cancer Subject Participant ID 700064 (Source Sample names: 6888 and 206). We used massively parallel DNA sequencing technologies to screen entire genomes, in an unbiased manner, for genetic changes associated with tumor growth and metastasis. We describe the complete genome sequence analysis of four DNA samples from a 44-year old African-American patient with basal-like breast cancer: peripheral blood, the primary tumor, a brain metastasis that developed within a year of initial therapy, and a first-passage xenograft derived from the primary tumor. A total of 50 validated mutations were discovered within coding, RNA, or splice site sequences. Of these, 20 mutations were abundantly present in all three tumors, including mutations in CSMD1 and JAK2. These two genes subsequently were found to be mutated in other breast tumors. The metastasis contained two de novo mutations not present in the primary tumor, and was significantly enriched for 20 shared mutations, suggesting that they may be involved in the metastatic process. The xenograft contained no unique coding, RNA, or splice site mutations and retained all primary tumor mutations, albeit at different frequencies. However, a significant increase in copy number alterations was observed in the xenograft as compared to the primary tumor. We validated 28 large deletions and six inversions, as well as seven translocations in at least one of the three tumor samples. Among them, a 26 kb deletion in MECR was solely identified, assembled, and validated in the brain metastasis and two overlapping large deletions on chromosome 5 encompassing CTNNA1, a potential tumor suppressor gene, were identified in all three tumors. The differential mutation frequencies and structural variation patterns between primary and metastatic tumors suggest that metastatic tumors may arise from minor subpopulations of cells within the primary. Namely, the metastatic and xenografting processes apparently select for cells harboring a distinct subset of the primary tumor mutation repertoire.

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• Genetic Determinants of Viral Clearance in HCV-Infected Populations

  The World Health Organization estimates there are 170 million persons with HCV infection worldwide, and an estimated 4 million persons are infected in the United States. Persistent HCV infection can cause cirrhosis and hepatocellular cancer. Long term disease consequences do not occur in persons who spontaneously recover. It is not known why 10-40% recover from hepatitis C (and are not at increased risk of cirrhosis and cancer), but that knowledge would contribute to efforts to treat and/or prevent HCV infection. The overall purpose of this study is to investigate the host genetic basis for recovery from hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. There is strong evidence that host genetic differences determine HCV recovery. After accidental exposure to the same HCV inoculum, some persons recover while others develop persistent infection. Recovery from HCV infection is an outstanding phenotype for genetic studies since both viral exposure and viral recovery can be ascertained with high sensitivity and specificity and since there are no known viral or environmental determinants. The study group is comprised of an ethnically and geographically diverse international population. All cohorts comprising this study group of 3350 individuals are well characterized. This case-control study is comprised of approximately 40% clearance individuals who are matched by age and HIV status within their respective cohorts at a ratio of 1:1 or 1:2 with HCV chronically infected individuals.

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• CALGB 80303:Genome-Wide Association Study of Advanced Pancreatic Cancer Patients - A Randomized Phase III trial of Gemcitabine Plus Bevacizumab versus Gemcitabine Plus Placebo in Patients with Advanced Pancreatic Cancer

  CALGB 80303 was a randomized, phase III study in advanced pancreatic cancer patients treated with Gemcitabine plus either Bevacizumab or placebo. No difference in overall survival (OS) was observed between the two arms. We prospectively collected germline DNA and conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS).

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• National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) GENEVA Genome-Wide Association Study of Venous Thrombosis (GWAS of VTE)

  Overview: Our overall long-term goal is to determine risk factors for the complex (multifactorial) disease, venous thromboembolism (VTE), that will allow physicians to stratify individual patient risk and target VTE prophylaxis to those who would benefit most. In this genome-wide association case-control study (1300 cases and 1300 controls) we hope to identify susceptibility variants for VTE. Mutations within genes encoding for important components of the anticoagulant, procoagulant, fibrinolytic, and innate immunity pathways are risk factors for VTE. We hypothesize that other genes within these four pathways or within other pathways also are VTE disease-susceptibility genes. Therefore, we performed a genome wide association (GWA) screen and analysis using the Illumina 660W platform to identify SNPs within 1,300 clinic-based, non-cancer VTE cases primarily from Minnesota and the upper Midwest USA, and 1300 clinic-based, unrelated controls frequency-matched on patient age, gender, myocardial infarction/stroke status and state of residence. This is a subset of a slightly larger candidate gene study using 1500 case-control pairs to identify haplotype-tagging SNPs (ht-SNPs) in a large set of candidate genes (n~750) within the anticoagulant, procoagulant, fibrinolytic, and innate immunity pathways. Study Populations. Cases. VTE cases were consecutive Mayo Clinic outpatients with objectively-diagnosed deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and/or pulmonary embolism (PE) residing in the upper Midwest and referred by Mayo Clinic physician to the Mayo Clinic Special Coagulation Laboratory for clinical diagnostic testing to evaluate for an acquired or inherited thrombophilia, or to the Mayo Clinic Thrombophilia Center. Any person contacted to be a control but discovered to have had a VTE was evaluated for inclusion as a case. Cases were primarily residents from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan, Illinois, North or South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri and Indiana. A DVT or PE was categorized as objectively diagnosed when (a) confirmed by venography or pulmonary angiography, or pathology examination of thrombus removed at surgery, or (b) if at least one non-invasive test (compression duplex ultrasonography, lung scan, computed tomography scan, magnetic resonance imaging) was positive. A VTE was defined as: Proximal leg deep vein thrombosis (DVT), which includes the common iliac, internal iliac, external iliac, common femoral, superficial [now termed "femoral"] femoral, deep femoral [sometimes referred to as "profunda" femoral] and/or popliteal veins. (Note: greater and lesser saphenous veins, or other superficial or perforator veins, were not included as proximal or distal leg DVT). Distal leg DVT (or "isolated calf DVT"), which includes the anterior tibial, posterior tibial and/or peroneal veins. (Note: gastrocnemius, soleal and/or sural [e.g., "deep muscular veins" of the calf] vein thrombosis was not included as distal leg DVT). Arm DVT, which includes the axillary, subclavian and/or innominate (brachiocephalic) veins. (Note: jugular [internal or external], cephalic and brachial vein thrombosis was not included in "arm DVT"). Hepatic, portal, splenic, superior or inferior mesenteric, and/or renal vein thrombosis. (Note: ovarian, testicular, peri-prostatic and/or pelvic vein thrombosis was not included). Cerebral vein thrombosis (includes cerebral or dural sinus or vein, saggital sinus or vein, and/or transverse sinus or vein thrombosis). Inferior vena cava (IVC) thrombosis Superior vena cava (SVC) thrombosis Pulmonary embolism Patients with VTE related to active cancer, antiphospholipid syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, vasculitis, a rheumatoid or other autoimmune disorder, a vascular anomaly (e.g., Klippel-Trénaunay syndrome, etc.), heparin-induced thrombocytopenia, or a mechanical cause for DVT (e.g., arm DVT or SVC thrombosis related to a central venous catheter or transvenous pacemaker, portal and/or splenic vein thrombosis related to liver cirrhosis, IVC thrombosis related to retroperitoneal fibrosis, etc.), with hemodialysis arteriovenous fistula thrombosis, or with prior liver or bone marrow transplantation were excluded. Controls. A Mayo Clinic outpatient control group was prospectively recruited for this study. Controls were frequency-matched on the age group (18-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70-79, and 80+ years), sex, myocardial infarction/stroke status, and state of residence distribution of the cases. We selected clinic-based controls using a controls' database of persons undergoing general medical examinations in the Mayo Clinic Departments of General Internal Medicine or Primary Care Internal Medicine. Additionally persons undergoing evaluation at the Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine Center, and the Department of Family Medicine were screened for inclusion as controls. This study is part of the Gene Environment Association Studies initiative (GENEVA, http://www.genevastudy.org) funded by the trans-NIH Genes, Environment, and Health Initiative (GEI). The overarching goal is to identify novel genetic factors that contribute to venous thrombosis through large-scale genome-wide association studies of 1,300 clinic-based, VTE cases and 1300 clinic-based, unrelated controls. Genotyping was performed at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Inherited Disease Research (CIDR). Data cleaning and harmonization were done at the GEI-funded GENEVA Coordinating Center at the University of Washington.

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• Whole genome and transcriptome sequencing of lung cancer patients and cell lines at Genentech

  Version 1 Whole genome sequencing was applied to tumor and adjacent normal lung tissue in an individual non-small-cell lung cancer patient. We present an analysis of somatic changes identified throughout the tumor genome, including single-nucleotide variants, copy number variants, and large-scale chromosomal rearrangements. Over 50,000 high-confidence single-nucleotide variants were identified, revealing evidence of substantial smoking-related DNA damage as well as distinct mutational pressures within the tumor resulting in uneven distribution of somatic mutations across the genome. Version 2 Lung cancer is a highly heterogeneous disease in terms of both underlying genetic lesions and response to therapeutic treatments. We performed deep whole genome sequencing and transcriptome sequencing on 19 lung cancer cell lines and 3 lung tumor/normal pairs. Overall, our data show that cell line models exhibit similar mutation spectra to human tumor samples. Smoker and never-smoker cancer samples exhibit distinguishable patterns of mutations. A number of epigenetic regulators are frequently altered by mutations or copy number changes. A systematic survey of splice-site mutations identified over 100 splice site mutations associated with cancer specific aberrant splicing, including mutations in several known cancer-related genes. Differential usages of splice isoforms were also studied. Taken together, these data present a comprehensive genomic landscape of a large number of lung cancer samples and further demonstrate that cancer specific alternative splicing is a widespread phenomenon that has potential utility as therapeutic biomarkers.

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• A Genome-Wide Association Study in Participants Experiencing Breast Cancer Events in High-Risk Postmenopausal Women Receiving Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators on NSABP Trials P-1 and P-2. A Collaboration Between the NIH Pharmacogenetics Research Network and the RIKEN Yokohama Institute Center for Genomic Medicine

  The primary aim of this study is to identify genes related to the occurrence of breast events, defined as occurrence of invasive breast cancer or ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), in women at high risk of developing breast cancer who have received a Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulator (SERM - tamoxifen or raloxifene) on the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project (NSABP) P-1 or P-2 trials. Cases and controls were selected from the tamoxifen arm in the P-1 and from the tamixifen and raloxifene arms in the P-2 trial. For the P-1 trial, cases and controls were required to be 50 years of age or older at time of entry. Cases were females who experienced an invasive breast cancer or DCIS on P-1 or P-2. Controls were females who did not experience an invasive breast cancer or DCIS. A nested matched case-control design was used, with matching on the following factors: 1) trial and treatment arm (P-1 tamoxifen, P-2 tamoxifen, P-2 raloxifene); 2) age at trial entry (when controls could not be exactly matched on age, we incremented the age of matching by +/- 1 year, in sequence until a match was obtained without exceeding +/- 5 years); 5-year predicted breast cancer risk based on the Gail model ( <2.00%, 2.01-3.00, 3.01-5.00, >5.01), 3) history of lobular carcinoma in situ (yes vs. no); 4) history of atypical hyperplasia in breast (yes vs. no); 5) time on study (controls must be on study at least as long as the time to diagnosis of the breast event for the case). Because 94.2% of the participants on P-1 and P-2 treated with tamoxifen or raloxifene were Caucasian, this study was restricted to only Caucasians. Two cases and two controls were randomly chosen as duplicates for quality control of genotype concordance. The DNA samples were plated into 96-well plates, with cases and controls randomly distributed across the plates. A Caucasian parent-child CEPH trio from the HapMap project was included to check for Mendelian transmission of alleles. Genotypes were determined by the RIKEN Center for Genomic Medicine with the Illumina Human610-Quad.

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• A Multiethnic Genome-wide Scan of Prostate Cancer

  Multiple GWA studies of prostate cancer conducted in European White populations are ongoing. These studies will continue to have a dramatic impact on our understanding of the contribution of common genetic variation on inter-individual susceptibility to this common cancer. Important questions that will remain unanswered, however, are whether all common risk alleles for prostate cancer will be revealed in studies limited to populations of European ancestry. A comprehensive examination of common genetic variation in men of Japanese, Latino, and African ancestry will be required to understand population differences in disease risk and to reveal the full spectrum of causal alleles that exist in these populations. Further, genetic and environmental diversity is likely to contribute to ethnic heterogeneity of genetic effects. Elucidating gene x gene and gene x environment interactions is also likely to provide knowledge that may be critical for understanding the contribution of genetic susceptibility to racial/ethnic disparities in prostate cancer incidence and for translating the findings from GWA studies into interventions. In this study we plan to undertake a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of prostate cancer in the Multiethnic Cohort (MEC) Study. We propose the following hypotheses: (a) that inherited DNA variation influences risk of prostate cancer; (b) that many of the causal alleles will be outside known "candidate genes" requiring an agnostic, comprehensive search; and (c) that performing this search in a multi-ethnic cohort is more powerful than a study limited to a single population to reveal the full range of causal alleles relevant to the U.S. population. The version 1 release of this dataset will include genotype data for the Japanese and Latino populations in the study. The version 2 release will include data for the African ancestry population along with the Japanese and Latino subjects. The version 3 release will include fully-cleaned genotype data for all three populations. This study is part of the Gene Environment Association Studies initiative (GENEVA, http://www.genevastudy.org) funded by the trans-NIH Genes, Environment, and Health Initiative (GEI). The overarching goal is to identify novel genetic factors that contribute to prostate cancer through large-scale genome-wide association studies of a well-characterized multi-ethnic cohort. Genotyping was performed at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, a GENEVA genotyping center and at the University of Southern California. Data cleaning and harmonization were performed at the GEI-funded GENEVA Coordinating Center at the University of Washington. As an add-on to this GWAS we performed a targeted re-sequencing of all known prostate cancer risk loci in the samples from the MEC. Sequencing was performed in Dr. Reich's lab at Harvard Medical School.

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• Discovery of Non-ETS Gene Fusions in Human Prostate Cancer using Next Generation RNA Sequencing

  Half of prostate cancers harbor gene fusions between TMPRSS2 and members of the ETS transcription factor family. To date little is known about the presence of non-ETS fusion events in prostate cancer. We employed next-generation transcriptome sequencing (RNA-Seq) in order to explore the whole transcriptome of 25 human prostate cancer samples for the presence of chimeric fusion transcripts. We generated more than 1 billion sequence reads and used a novel computational approach (FusionSeq) in order to identify novel gene fusion candidates with high confidence. In total, we discovered and characterized seven new cancer-specific gene fusions, two involving the ETS genes ETV1 and ERG, and five involving non-ETS genes such as CDKN1A (p21), CD9 and IKBKB (IKK-beta), genes known to exhibit key biological roles in cellular homeostasis or assumed to be critical in tumorigenesis of other tumor entities, as well as the oncogene PIGU and the tumor suppressor gene RSRC2. The novel gene fusions are found to be of low frequency but interestingly, the non-ETS fusions were all present in prostate cancer harboring the TMPRSS2-ERG gene fusion. Future work will focus on determining if the ETS rearrangements in prostate cancer are associated or directly predispose to a rearrangement prone phenotype.

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• FusionSeq: a modular framework for finding gene fusions by analyzing Paired-End RNA-Sequencing data

  We have developed FusionSeq to identify fusion transcripts from paired-end RNA-sequencing. FusionSeq includes filters to remove spurious candidate fusions with artifacts such as misalignments or random pairing of transcript fragments and it ranks candidates according to several statistics. It also has a module to identify exact sequences at breakpoint junctions. FusionSeq detected known and novel fusions in a specially sequenced calibration data set, including 8 cancers with and without known rearrangements.

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• The Genomic Complexity of Primary Human Prostate Cancer

  Seven primary prostate cancers and their paired normal counterparts were DNA-sequenced on a massively parallel sequencing platform. This approach was taken to investigate the genomes for mutations and genomic alterations that would be undetectable by lower-resolution methods. As result, tumors containing chains of balanced rearrangements that occurred within or adjacent to known cancer genes were discovered.

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• A Genome-Wide Association Study of Lung Cancer Risk

  Three genetic loci for lung cancer risk have been identified by genome-wide association studies (GWAS), but inherited susceptibility to specific histologic types of lung cancer is not well established. We conducted a GWAS of lung cancer and its major histologic types genotyping 515,922 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 5,739 incident lung cancer cases and 5,848 controls from one population-based case-control study and three cohort studies. Results were combined with summary data from 10 additional studies for a total of 13,300 cases and 19,666 controls of European descent. Four studies also provided histology data for replication resulting in 3,333 adenocarcinomas (AD), 2,589 squamous cell carcinomas (SQ), and 1,418 small cell carcinomas (SC). In analyses by histology, rs2736100 (TERT) on chromosome 5p15.33, was associated with risk of adenocarcinoma (OR=1.23, 95%CI=1.13-1.33, P=3.02x10-7), but not other histologic types (OR=1.01, P=0.84, and OR=1.00, P=0.93, for SQ and SC, respectively). This finding was confirmed in each replication study and overall meta-analysis (OR=1.24, 95%CI=1.17-1.31, P=3.74x10-14 for AD and OR=0.99, P=0.69 and OR=0.97, P=0.48, for SQ and SC, respectively). Other previously reported association signals on 15q25 and 6p21 were also refined, but no additional loci reached genome-wide significance. In conclusion, a lung cancer GWAS identified a distinct hereditary contribution to adenocarcinoma. Note: The lung study dataset to be released to dbGaP and caBIG excludes 47 individuals from the PLCO cohort who consented to participate only in cancer research projects and 22 individuals because of updated QC. Thus, the released dataset is derived from 11517 subjects, 5699 cases and 5818 controls. After the updated QC, the dataset to be released to dbGaP and caBIG includes 506062 SNPs.

  Study phs000336

• The genomic complexity of early T-cell progenitor acute lymphoblastic leukemia

  CREST The accurate identification of structural variations using whole-genome DNA sequencing data generated by next-generation sequencing technology is extremely difficult. To address this challenge, we have developed CREST, an algorithm that uses sequencing reads with partial alignments to the reference human genome (so-called soft-clipped reads) to directly map the breakpoints of somatic structural variations. We applied CREST to paired tumor/normal whole genome sequencing data from five cases of T-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). A total of 110 somatic structural variants were identified, >80% of which were validated by genomic PCR and Sanger sequencing. The validated structural variants included 31 inter-chromosomal translocations, 19 intra-chromosomal translocations, one inversion, 22 deletions and 16 insertions. A comparison of the results generated with CREST to those obtained using the traditional paired-end discordant mapping methods demonstrate CREST to have a much higher sensitivity and specificity. In addition, application of CREST to publicly available whole-genome sequencing data from the human melanoma cancer cell line COLO-829 demonstrated the identification of 50 novel structural variations not detected using the standard methods, 20 of which were selected for validation with a 90% success rate. These data demonstrate that direct mapping of soft-clipped reads offers an improved method for detecting structural variants at the nucleotide level of resolution. T-ALL Early T-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ETP ALL) is an aggressive malignancy of unknown genetic basis. We performed whole-genome sequencing of 12 ETP ALL cases and assessed the frequency of the identified somatic mutations in 94 T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia cases. ETP ALL was characterized by activating mutations in genes regulating cytokine receptor and RAS signalling (67% of cases; NRAS, KRAS, FLT3, IL7R, JAK3, JAK1, SH2B3 and BRAF), inactivating lesions disrupting haematopoietic development (58%; GATA3, ETV6, RUNX1, IKZF1 and EP300) and histone-modifying genes (48%; EZH2, EED, SUZ12, SETD2 and EP300). We also identified new targets of recurrent mutation including DNM2, ECT2L and RELN. The mutational spectrum is similar to myeloid tumours, and moreover, the global transcriptional profile of ETP ALL was similar to that of normal and myeloid leukaemia haematopoietic stem cells. These findings suggest that addition of myeloid-directed therapies might improve the poor outcome of ETP ALL.

  Study phs000340

• Genome-wide association study for Bladder Cancer Risk

  This study funded by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) involves conducting a genome-wide association study of common genetic variants to identify markers of susceptibility to bladder cancer. This bladder GWAS has led to the discovery of three novel regions in the genome associated with bladder cancer risk. Cases were defined as individuals having histologically confirmed primary carcinoma of the urinary bladder, including carcinoma in situ (ICD-0-2 topography codes C67.0-C67.9 or ICD9 codes 188.1-188.9). Scan data were obtained from two case-control studies carried out in Spain and the United States (specifically, those in the Maine and Vermont components of the New England Bladder Cancer Study) and three prospective cohort studies in Finland and the United States (specifically Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention Study, Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial, and The American Cancer Society Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort). We used data from 591,637 single nucleotide polymorphisms 3,532 affected individuals (cases) and 5,119 controls of European descent and replication including 8382 cases and 48275 controls from 16 studies. In a combined analysis, we identified three new regions associated with bladder cancer on chromosomes 22q13.1, 19q12 and 2q37.1: rs1014971, (P ≈ 8 x 10-12) maps to a non-genic region of chromosome 22q13.1, rs8102137 (P = 2 x 10-11) on maps to CCNE1 and rs11892031 (P = 1 x 10-7) maps to the UGT1A cluster on 2q37.1. We confirmed four previously identified genome-wide associations on chromosomes 3q28, 4p16.3, 8q24.21 and 8q24.3 (Rothman N et al., Nature Genetics, 2010, PMID: 20972438). Through meta-analysis with the MD Anderson Texas Bladder Cancer Study (TXBCS), we also identified a novel susceptibility locus that mapped to a region of 18q12.3, marked by rs7238033 (P = 8.7 x 10(-9); allelic odds ratio 1.20 with 95% CI: 1.13-1.28) and two highly correlated SNPs, rs10775480/rs10853535 (r(2)= 1.00; P = 8.9 x 10(-9); allelic odds ratio 1.16 with 95% CI: 1.10-1.22) (Garcia-Closas M et al, Human Molecular Genetics, 2011) For NCI-GWAS2, we performed genotyping on cases and controls for the New Hampshire component of the New England Bladder Cancer Study (NEBCS-NH). For the majority of new bladder cancer cases, we genotyped only cases from four case-control studies, the Los Angeles Bladder Cancer Study (LABCS), the French Center for Research on Prostate Diseases (CeRePP), the French Bladder Study (FBCS) and the Brescia Bladder Cancer Study (BBCS). We used existing control data from four cohort studies already genotyped and subjected to rigorous quality control metrics: the European Prospective Investigation Into Cancer and Nutrition Study (EPIC), Womens Health Initiative (WHI), Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS), Nurses Health Study (NHS), which have been a part of Cancer Genetic Markers of Susceptibility (CGEMS). Meta-analysis of NCI-GWAS1, NCI-GWAS2 and a previously reported GWAS TXBCS-GWAS along with taqman replication, identified two new loci: rs10936599 on 3q26.2 (P = 4.53 x 10(-9)) and rs907611 on 11p15.5 (P = 4.11 x 10(-8)). Two notable loci were also identified that approached genome-wide statistical significance: rs6104690 on 20p12.2 (P = 7.13 x 10(-7)) and rs4510656 on 6p22.3 (P = 6.98 X 10(-7)); these require further studies for confirmation (Figueroa J et al, Human Molecular Genetics, 2013).

  Study phs000346

• Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center - Whole-Exome Sequencing of Hereditary Prostate Cancer Families

  The specific aim of this study is to identify hereditary prostate cancer (HPC) susceptibility genes using a novel study design, whereby whole-exome sequencing will be undertaken on multiple affected relatives from 19 HPC families, in which ≥ 3 affected relatives were diagnosed with clinically aggressive and/or early onset prostate cancer (PC). While whole-exome sequencing of unrelated affected individuals would result in hundreds of candidate disease variants, this family-based, aggressive/early onset phenotype approach will provide an enriched genetic background for discovery and significantly reduce the number of candidate mutations that will require follow-up. Findings from this pilot study will immediately be followed-up to confirm whether candidate mutations found in each family segregate with disease in the remaining unscreened relatives. As part of this pilot study, we aim to: Perform whole-exome sequencing on 80 affected and 11 unaffected relatives from 19 HPC families that have multiple men diagnosed with an aggressive and/or early onset disease phenotype using the Illumina HiSeq platform; and, Analyze sequencing data using BWA, SAMtools and SeattleSeq to prioritize candidate HPC mutations that segregate with aggressive and/or early onset disease in affected relatives.

  Study phs000350

• National Cancer Institute Genome-Wide Association Study of Renal Cell Carcinoma

  The National Cancer Institute (NCI) genome-wide association study (GWAS) of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) was conducted to investigate common genetic variants associated with RCC risk. The GWAS includes 1,453 RCC cases and 3,531 controls of European background from 4 studies (3 cohort, 1 case-control), scanned using the Illumina InfiniumHumanHap 550, 610 and 660W chips. This project was supported by the Intramural Research Program of the National Institutes of Health and NCI. Data from this GWAS were pooled with those from another GWAS of RCC (2,639 cases and 5,392 controls) conducted in Europe by the International Agency for Research on Cancer and the Centre National de Gènotypage. Findings from this collaboration are described in an upcoming report (Purdue et al. Nature Genetics 2011;43(1):60-65; PMID: 21131975). Only data from the NCI scan are included in this dbGaP submission.

  Study phs000351

• The genomic complexity of sporadic and inherited retinoblastoma with a matched orthotopic xenograft

  Retinoblastoma is a pediatric cancer of the developing retina. All retinoblastomas are believed to initiate with biallelic inactivation of the RB1 gene. To identify subsequent genetic lesions in retinoblastoma, we performed whole genome sequencing of tumor and normal DNA of 4 children with retinoblastoma and one matched orthotopic xenograft. Both alleles of RB1 were inactivated in the tumor samples. 3 of the patients had sporadic retinoblastoma and one patient had inherited retinoblastoma. Overall, there were few single nucleotide changes in coding regions of the genome and some of the tumors had few chromosomal lesions. There were very few new genetic lesions in the xenograft compared to the primary tumor. These data suggest that the genome in retinoblastoma is more stable than previously believed and there are relatively few recurrent genetic lesions in known cancer pathways other than the RB1 pathway.

  Study phs000352

• Genome-Wide Association Studies in Upper Gastrointestinal Cancers (Asian)

  This project aims to conduct genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in two anatomically different upper gastrointestinal (UGI) cancer sites in two populations with distinctly different disease rates and genetic profiles. One population has very high rates for both esophageal squamous cell carcinomas (ESCCs) and gastric cancers (GCs) and is comprised of Asians (the "Asian UGI GWAS"), while the other population has low rates of ESCC and GC and includes non-Asians from the Americas, Europe, and Australia (the "Non-Asian UGI GWAS"). Study participants for the Asian UGI GWAS reported here (Illumina 660W Quad chip) were drawn from 2 studies, the Shanxi Upper Gastrointestinal Cancer Genetics Project (Shanxi) and the Linxian Nutrition Intervention Trial (NIT), a prospective cohort, and included a total of 1898 ESCCs, 1625 GCs, and 2100 controls. For the 2nd phase (8 TaqMan SNPs), additional subjects from Shanxi and NIT as well as subjects from the Shanghai Men's Health Study (SMHS), the Shanghai Women's Health Study (SWHS), and the Singapore Chinese Health Study (SCHS) were also included (217 ESCCs, 615 GCs, 1202 controls). Altogether 2115 ESCCs, 2240 GCs, and 3302 controls were genotyped in this study.

  Study phs000361

• California Pacific Medical Center Research Breast Health Cohort

  Description of Cohort: The California Pacific Medical Center (CPMC) Breast Health Cohort is a cohort study based at CPMC and is linked to the San Francisco Mammography Registry, one of the sites of the NCI-funded Breast Cancer Screening Consortium (U01CA063740). CPMC is a community hospital in San Francisco, which has one of the highest volumes for mammography in San Francisco. Between September 2004 and June 2007, >90,000 mammograms were performed at CPMC. The CPMC breast health cohort collects demographic and risk factor data on women receiving mammography through participation in the San Francisco Mammography Registry, as part of the Breast Cancer Screening Consortium (U01CA063740). The SFMR database collects information from all sources, including a questionnaire on demographic and risk factor information, the clinical results of the breast examination, the measures of breast density by Dr. John Shepherd and the women who agreed to donate a blood sample. By merging these various sources of information we have very efficiently developed a large sample of women who have donated blood and have had a measure of mamographic density. Blood Collection: Dr. Steve Cummings is leading an effort to collect and archive blood samples from women who are receiving mammography screening. All women who are sent for a screening mammogram at CPMC are considered eligible. Since the cohort began collecting blood samples in July 2004 until June 2007, samples have been collected from over 11,000 women. Measurement of Breast Density: Dr. John Shepherd is currently measuring breast density in a large fraction of the cohort using an automated approach with single X-ray absorptiometry. Dr. Shepherd has established a link with the CPMC mammography center that allows him to collect routine digital mammography information. Using the data from the mammogram, Dr. Shepherd and his group have developed the single X-ray absorptiometry (SXA) technique for measuring density which is described in more detail below. The table demonstrates the distribution of demographic variables and some breast cancer risk factors of women who donated blood and had a breast density measurement in the CPMC breast health cohort. Nearly 80% of the participants are Caucasian and most of the women are post-menopausal with a median age of ~52. Since it will be difficult to accrue a large enough sample from each ethnic group, our study will focus only on Caucasian women. Table: Demographic variables, reproductive history and family history of breast cancer among 2962 women participating in the CPMC cohort study who contributed blood samples between 1994-1997. Variable Median/Percentage Age (Median/IQR) 52 (46-59) Ethnicity Caucasian/White 0.76 Asian/Pacific Islander 0.141 Hispanic 0.029 Mixed Race/Ethnicity 0.039 African American/Black 0.022 American Indian 0.001 Other 0.009 First degree relative with breast cancer 0.17 Age at first birth Nulliparous 0.39 Age<20 0.043 Age>40 0.032 Age<30, ≥20 0.251 Age>30, ≤40 0.282 Measurement of Breast Density in Cohort: Measurement of breast density is accomplished using an automated technique for all mammograms obtained by Dr. Shepherd using Single X-Ray absorptiometry (SXA). SXA measurement of breast density is done on approximately 30% of all screening mammograms. Below we describe the method for measurement of breast density by SXA by Dr. Shepherd's group and its validation and association with breast cancer. As we demonstrate below, breast density, as measured by SXA, is an automated, highly reproducible measure of the density of breast tissue and is associated with breast cancer risk. SXA for Quantifying Breast Density: Single x-ray absorptiometry (SXA) was initially developed for measuring bone density. SXA can determine the fraction of each of two densities simultaneously using the fact the sample is a constant thickness, the thickness in known, and the total attenuation is known. In applying this technique to breast density, we assume a two compartment model: fat and non-fatty (fibroglandular tissue). We use a reference material composed of various concentrations of two materials: one which is the same density as fat and another which is the same density as fibroglandular tissue. The reference material (phantom) is placed in the X-ray field with each mammogram. We have been able to implement this in a way that is unintrusive to the patient and technologist at CPMC. Assuming this two-compartment model and a constant known breast thickness, we can then calculate the percent density at any region of the breast based on the assumption that % pixel grey-scale is proportion to the mass fractions of breast fat and lean tissue. If reference materials (a phantom) of fat and fibroglandular tissue are imaged with the patient's breast and the reference materials have the same thickness as the patient's breast, then the breast's grey-scale values can be converted to fat/fibroglandular mass fractions by interpolating between those two references. The total percent density is found by averaging the volume fraction over all breast pixels. The phantom being used for breast density assessment at CPMC began to be used in September 2004. The phantom does not have to be manipulated by the technologist and stays attached on the mammography device during standard craniocaudal (CC) views. Thus it creates minimal to no interference with the clinical mammogram. Reproducibility of breast density measures: Traditional measures of mammographic density require some human interpretation. A human reader outlines the area perceived to be dense and a computer then calculates the percent area outlined as a percent of the entire image. Thus, while traditional mammographic density is associated with breast cancer risk, it has some limitations. In a study by Drs. Shepherd, Kerlikowske, et al., the correlation coefficient (Pearson's R) between different readers was 0.8-0.9. In contrast to the traditional mammographic density measurement, the SXA measurement is fully automated and, therefore, the reproducibility of the measurement is higher. Dr. Shepherd and colleagues have performed a replication study of SXA as a measurement of breast density. They have estimated the correlation coefficient of the SXA measurement of breast density to be >0.98. Thus, as expected for an automated measure, SXA is a highly reproducible measure of mammographic breast density. Drs. Shepherd and Kerlikowske have recently analyzed the association between breast cancer risk and breast density as measured by SXA (Shepherd et al., Cancer Epi Biomarkers and Prev, 2011, PMID: 21610220). They found that women in the highest quintile of % volumetric density had an odds ratio of 4.1 (95% CI: 2.3 - 7.2) for breast cancer risk compared to women in the lowest quintile of volumetric density. Thus volumetric density appears to be a highly reproducible, automated measure of breast cancer.

  Study phs000395

• Sequence Analysis of Mutations and Translocations Across Breast Cancer Subtypes

  This study combined whole exome (103 samples) and whole genome (22 samples) sequencing over a total of 108 breast tumors and matched normal DNA to identify novel mutations and translocations. Samples were subjected to paired-end Illumina sequencing with goal of 30x coverage of tumor/normal for whole genomes and 100x tumor/normal coverage for whole exomes. From these sequences, we used various computational techniques to identify somatic point mutations, insertion/deletions and structural rearrangements in these tumors. From these data, we identified new insights into the rates of background mutations in these cancers, novel recurrent mutated genes, and multiple gene rearrangements. One of these rearrangements appears to be a recurrent event in breast cancer.

  Study phs000369

• The Mutational Landscape of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

  This study was the first-known large-scale effort to uncover the mutational spectrum of head and neck cancers. We analyzed whole-exome sequence from 92 tumor-normal pairs and retained 74 of them for significance analysis. The majority exhibited a mutational profile consistent with tobacco exposure; human papilloma virus sequence was detectable in 15% of cases. In addition to identifying previously known HNSCC genes (TP53, CDKN2A, PTEN, PIK3CA, and HRAS), the analysis revealed many genes not previously implicated in this malignancy. At least 30% of cases harbor mutations in genes (such as NOTCH1, IRF6, TP63) that regulate squamous differentiation, implicating alterations in this process as a major driver of HNSCC carcinogenesis. Altogether, the results suggest that large-scale exome sequencing may illuminate fundamental tumorigenic mechanisms with important therapeutic implications.

  Study phs000370

• Whole Genomic Sequencing of Nine Primary Colorectal Adenocarcinoma Tumor/Germline Pairs

  This study was the first-known effort to complete the complete genome sequencing of primary colorectal adenocarcinomas and the matched germline genome. Nine colorectal adenocarcinomas selected on the basis of having chromosomal instability were subjected to 'shotgun' Illumina sequencing with 101-bp paired end reads to an approximate goal of 30x coverage of tumor and of normal. From these sequences, we used various computational techniques to identify somatic point mutations, insertion/deletions and structural rearrangements in these tumors. From these data, we identified new insights into the rates of background mutations in these cancers, new spectrums of structural alterations including the identification of a novel in-frame fusion gene.

  Study phs000374

• Genome-Wide Association Study of Breast Cancer in the African Diaspora - the ROOT study

  The paucity of data on the genetic epidemiology of breast cancer for racial/ethnic groups other than those of European ancestry hinders the development of innovative interventions to reduce health disparities. Women in the African Diaspora experience a disproportionate burden of pre-menopausal breast cancer in comparison to all other races for reasons that remain unknown and understudied. This higher proportion of early-onset breast cancer might suggest a stronger genetic component in these populations. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have revealed several genetic loci that confer risk of breast cancer. Because all GWAS started the discovery stage in women of European ancestry and replicated mainly in women of European ancestry, we propose a novel approach for a GWAS in indigenous African women to identify alleles associated with breast cancer risk which will then be replicated in other populations. This innovative design builds on our current understanding of the etiologic heterogeneity in breast cancer and the distribution of breast cancer molecular subtypes which differ between women of African ancestry and women of European ancestry. The major objective of the proposed studies is to get to the "root" causes of breast cancer by identifying breast cancer risk alleles in a pooled sample of women of African ancestry and to replicate our findings in other populations. To achieve this objective, we conducted a case control study of breast cancer in women of African ancestry, including Africans living in Nigeria, African Americans and African Barbadians. We will genotype ~3800 individuals using the Illumina HumanOmni2.5-Quad platform. We will conduct both standard and novel genetic analyses of the data to map genes associated with breast cancer susceptibility, verify genotyping and carry out fine-mapping studies in genes or regions showing association with breast cancer risk, and replicate in other African American and non-African American populations. By pooling unique resources from studies throughout the African Diaspora, this study has the potential to identify risk alleles in several genes that contribute to increased breast cancer risk and may have implications for early detection, prognosis and treatment of breast cancer in ALL women. This should ultimately lead to improved outcomes for those who suffer a disproportionate burden of early-onset breast cancer.

  Study phs000383

• Epigenetic Profiling of Human Colorectal Cancer

  DNA methylation, together with chromatin modifications, constitute the epigenome that functions to regulate gene expression and genome integrity. DNA methylation alterations are ubiquitous in human cancers, as many genes acquire DNA methylation in a cancer-specific manner. DNA methylation at these sites in the genome of cancer cells not only serves as a marker for tumor identification, but together with gene mutation and gene expression data, can also be used to describe subsets of tumors of the same organ source. We have previously shown distinct human colorectal cancer subtypes based on DNA methylation differences. Correlating these DNA methylation differences with clinical co-variates will serve to further understand how these distinct subtypes are generated. We have collected 100 colorectal tumor tissues (for which clinical information is known) and have obtained (unprotected) genome-wide DNA methylation and chromatin modification information for each sample for the purposes of identifying and classifying unique tumor subtypes of colorectal cancers. In addition, we have determined mutations of key genes relevant to colorectal cancer as well as gene expression profiles. We will use the clinical data for each de-identified sample to correlate with the DNA methylation, mutation and gene expression information so as to understand the driving forces behind these distinct colorectal subtypes. We have selected the most promising tumors for whole-genome bisulfite sequencing using next-generation sequencing technology to obtain complete maps of colon cancer methylomes. Researchers will be unable to identify the subjects because the samples and associated information have been de-identified and anonymized by the tissue source site. In addition, upon receipt by the USC Epigenome Center, we have assigned new random identifiers for each sample. The data generated using these new codes are not traceable to the patient identity.

  Study phs000385

• Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics (DCEG) Imputation Reference Dataset

  We have built a new resource for imputation of SNPs for existing and future genome-wide association studies (GWAS), known as the Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics (DCEG) Reference Set. The first build of the data set includes 728 cancer-free individuals of European descent from three large prospectively sampled studies, 98 African-American individuals from the Prostate, Lung, Colon, and Ovary Cancer Screening Trial (PLCO), 74 Chinese individuals from a Chinese clinical trial in Shanxi, China (SHNX), and 349 unrelated individuals from the HapMap Project (see Molecular Data Section for details on arrays used). The final harmonized dataset includes 2.8 million autosomal polymorphic SNPs on 1,249 subjects after rigorous quality control metrics were applied.

  Study phs000396

• The Genetic Architecture of Smoking and Smoking Cessation

  This study includes samples from two projects: Collaborative Genetic Study of Nicotine Dependence (COGEND; PI: Laura Bierut) and University of Wisconsin Transdisciplinary Tobacco Use Research Center (UW-TTURC; PI: Timothy Baker). Data are available for an additional 1420 COGEND subjects through the Study of Addiction: Genetics and Environment (SAGE), dbGaP study accession phs000092. The majority of these subjects are independent from the current study, but there is a small amount of overlap between the two samples (n=29 subjects) for quality control purposes. It should be noted that the case definition in the SAGE study is DSM-IV alcohol dependence. The case definition in the current study is nicotine dependence by a current score of 4 or greater on the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND). The overall goal of this project is to identify and characterize genetic variants that contribute to the development of nicotine dependence, related smoking behaviors, and smoking cessation. The COGEND sample includes unrelated cases and controls for a genetic association study of nicotine dependence. Cases are defined by a commonly used definition of nicotine dependence, a current score of 4 or more (maximum score of 10) on the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND). Control status is defined as an individual who smoked at least 100 cigarettes during their lifetime, yet never became dependent (lifetime FTND=0). By selecting controls who smoked, those genetic effects that are specific to nicotine dependence can be examined. The UW-TTURC sample includes nicotine dependent smokers from three smoking cessation studies. Subjects had to smoke at least 10 cigarettes per day (confirmed smoking by an alveolar carbon monoxide (CO) level greater than 9) and report being motivated to quit smoking. Participants were excluded based on evidence of psychosis history, clinically significant depression symptoms, other severe mental illness, or contraindications to smoking cessation medications. COGEND: COGEND was initiated in 2001 as a three-part program project grant funded through the National Cancer Institute (NCI; PI: Laura Bierut). The three projects included a study of the familial transmission of nicotine dependence, a genetic study of nicotine dependence, and a study of the relationship of nicotine dependence with nicotine metabolism. The primary goal is to detect, localize, and characterize genes that predispose or protect an individual with respect to heavy tobacco consumption, nicotine dependence, and related phenotypes and to integrate these findings with the family transmission and nicotine metabolism findings. The primary design is a community based case-control family study. Nicotine dependent cases and non-dependent, smoking controls were identified and recruited from Detroit and St. Louis. In addition, one sibling for each case and control subject was recruited in a subset of the sample. More than 54,000 subjects aged 25-44 years were screened by telephone; more than 3,100 subjects were personally interviewed; and more than 2,900 subjects donated blood samples for genetic studies. UW-TTURC: The UW-TTURC was initiated in 2001 as a study of nicotine dependence and smoking cessation treatment. The second round of UW-TTURC was initiated in 2005 as a study of efficacy of smoking cessation and long term outcomes. Nicotine dependent smokers seeking cessation treatment were identified and recruited from Madison and Milwaukee, WI. Over 9,000 adult smokers were screened by telephone; 2,575 individuals were enrolled and randomized to treatment conditions that involved use of different smoking cessation medications. Participants from the UW-TTURC smoking cessation clinical trials had the option of participating in a genetic substudy, and approximately 2,000 donated blood samples for genetic studies. The goal of the genetic studies of smokers seeking cessation treatment is to detect, localize, and characterize genes that predispose or protect an individual with respect to heavy tobacco consumption, nicotine dependence, and related phenotypes including cessation, withdrawal, and relapse. Both studies (COGEND and UW-TTURC) include measures of basic socio-demographic variables, including age, sex, race/ethnicity, family income, and educational attainment. Information on nicotine dependence, as assessed by the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND) is available for all subjects. In addition, participants also completed the Nicotine Dependence Syndrome Scale (NDSS; Shiffman et al., 2004) and the Wisconsin Inventory of Smoking Dependence Motives (WISDM-68; Piper et al, 2004). Coding for both individual variables and indices has been standardized across studies. All subjects were assessed in person by trained research assistants. This study is part of the Gene Environment Association Studies initiative (GENEVA, http://www.genevastudy.org) funded by the trans-NIH Genes, Environment, and Health Initiative (GEI). The overarching goal is to identify novel genetic factors that contribute to the genetic architecture of smoking through large-scale genome-wide association studies of two well-characterized cohorts. Genotyping was performed at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Inherited Disease Research (CIDR). Data cleaning and harmonization were done at the GEI-funded GENEVA Coordinating Center at the University of Washington.

  Study phs000404

• Whole Exome Sequencing for Colorectal Cancer

  This project was designed to use next generation sequencing technology to screen the protein coding regions of the genome for low frequency variants in a panel of high-risk colorectal adenocarcinoma cases. Blood and cell-line DNA for colorectal cancer patients and a subset of quality control samples that had existing whole exome sequence data were analyzed using Illumina HiSeq sequencers. Samples from this project were from participants in the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) and the Diet, Activity, and Lifestyle Study (DALS).

  Study phs000410

• Temporal Dissection of Tumorigenesis in Primary Cancers

  The earliest genetic abnormalities in cancer represent a unique opportunity for timely clinical diagnosis. Classic deep sequencing of tumors identifies many aberrations acquired later in cancer progression. In this study, data regarding simple mutation and chromosomal aberration were integrated to trace the evolution of cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas and ovarian adenocarcinomas. Only after the second allele of TP53 was lost did the genome enter a window of extreme genomic vulnerability, in both cancer types, eventually acquiring more than 100,000 mutations in skin cancers. Inactivating Notch mutations were also identified as prevalent secondary changes. These results add context to the idea of TP53 mutation as dominant negative and occurring later in tumorigenesis.

  Study phs000418

• Whole Exome Sequencing of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

  The somatic genetic basis of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), a common and clinically heterogenous adult leukemia, remains poorly understood. Massively parallel sequencing technology now provides a method for systematic discovery of genetic alterations that underlie disease, and for uncovering new therapeutic targets and biomarkers. In study version 2 we presented a dataset consisting of DNA sequencing from 169 CLL samples (with matched germline controls). Samples were collected from patients displaying a wide range of characteristics representing the broad clinical spectrum of CLL. Understanding the mutational landscape of CLL provides a starting point for systematic analyses to address fundamental questions in CLL, including how mutated genes alter cellular networks and phenotypes, and thereby contribute to disease heterogeneity. Intratumoral heterogeneity plays a critical role in tumor evolution. To define the contribution of DNA methylation to heterogeneity within tumors, we performed genome-scale bisulfite sequencing of >100 primary chronic lymphocytic leukemias (CLLs; data presented in study version 3). Compared with 26 normal B cell samples, CLLs consistently displayed higher intrasample variability of DNA methylation patterns across the genome, which appears to arise from stochastically disordered methylation in malignant cells. Transcriptome analysis of bulk and single CLL cells revealed that methylationdisorder was linked to low-level expression. Disordered methylation was further associated with adverse clinical outcome. We therefore propose that disordered methylation plays a similar role to that of genetic instability, enhancing the ability of cancer cells to search for superior evolutionary trajectories.

  Study phs000435

• Transcriptome sequencing across a prostate cancer cohort identifies PCAT-1, an unannotated lincRNA implicated in disease progression

  Noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) are emerging as key molecules in human cancer, with the potential to serve as novel markers of disease and to reveal uncharacterized aspects of tumor biology. Here we discover 121 unannotated prostate cancer-associated ncRNA transcripts (PCATs) by ab initio assembly of high-throughput sequencing of polyA+ RNA (RNA-Seq) from a cohort of 102 prostate tissues and cells lines. We characterized one ncRNA, PCAT-1, as a prostate-specific regulator of cell proliferation and show that it is a target of the polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2). We further found that patterns of PCAT-1 and PRC2 expression stratified patient tissues into molecular subtypes distinguished by expression signatures of PCAT-1-repressed target genes. Taken together, our findings suggest that PCAT-1 is a transcriptional repressor implicated in a subset of prostate cancer patients. These findings establish the utility of RNA-Seq to identify disease-associated ncRNAs that may improve the stratification of cancer subtypes.

  Study phs000443

• Prostate Cancer Genome Sequencing Project

  Prostate cancer is a prevalent cause of cancer morbidity and mortality in men. In order to characterize the full range of somatic mutations in protein-coding genes that may drive the growth of prostate cancer, we sequenced the exonic regions of genomic and tumor DNA from over 100 patients with high-risk primary prostate cancer. Using hybrid capture and paired end DNA sequencing, we identified mutations in several novel putative prostate cancer genes. We interrogated copy number changes across tumor genomes using high-density SNP arrays, and identified a molecular subtype of cancer characterized by mutation of the ubiquitin ligase subunit SPOP and copy number loss at specific genomic loci.

  Study phs000447

• Melanoma Genome Sequencing Project

  Melanoma is the most prevalent cause of skin cancer morbidity and mortality. In order to characterize the full range of somatic mutations that may drive the growth of melanoma, we are sequencing tumor and normal DNA from a set of roughly 150 melanomas. For the majority of samples (approximately 90% of the cases) mutations in protein coding genes will be assessed in the exonic DNA of tumor-normal pairs using hybrid capture and paired-end DNA sequencing. Additionally, in a few DNA samples (approximately 10% of the cases) the entire genomes will be analyzed to assess the possible contribution of complex structural rearrangements contributing to oncogenesis. The sequencing data are supplemented by copy number profiling on the same tumors using high-density SNP arrays. Integration of these approaches will enable the unbiased and comprehensive characterization of both known and novel recurrent DNA alterations that arise in melanoma.

  Study phs000452

• Exome Recapture and Sequencing of Prospectively Characterized Clinical Specimens From Cancer Patients

  The study cohort comprises samples from patients whose tumors have been prospectively characterized as part of their care at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. This includes a variety of distinct tumor type and molecular subtypes.

  Study phs001783

• Estrogen Receptor Positive Breast Cancer: Aromatase Inhibitor Response Study

  Highly variable outcomes are observed in patients with estrogen receptor positive (ER+) breast cancer who undergo preoperative estrogen deprivation therapy with aromatase inhibitors (AI). In this study, 46 baseline tumor and normal genomes and 31 baseline tumor/normal exomes of participants selected from two clinical trials of neoadjuvant AI therapy on ER+ breast cancer were sequenced to identify somatic alterations that correlate with response to AI, to screen for therapeutic targets and to elucidate the genetic landscape of ER+ breast cancer. From the same set of patients we later performed deep genomic characterization of a subset of matched primary tumors after four months of AI therapy, generating comprehensive information about the range of changes that occur when ER+ breast cancers are subjected to estrogen deprivation. This data includes whole genome sequence and transcriptome data. To better understand tumor heterogeneity and the evolution of resistance to estrogen-deprivation therapy, a subset of these tumours, along with 38 additional cases were sequenced to greater depth using targeted capture with a gene panel.

  Study phs000472

• Identification of Cancer Predisposition Genes in Breast Cancer Families

  Breast cancer has a significant genetic component. The strongest epidemiologic risk factor is family history of the disease. Familial studies have identified a number of genes contributing to increased risk. Of these, the highly penetrant BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes account for the majority of families in whom disease-causal mutations have been identified. However, mutations in other genes have been associated with predisposition to breast or breast and ovarian cancer including (CHEK2, ATM, PALB2, RAD51C, RAD51D). Together these genes account for less than 20% of excess familial breast cancer risk and do not explain ~50% of high-risk families referred for genetic testing. This significant gap in our understanding of the genetic basis of breast cancer poses a significant barrier to our ability to identify women at increased risk, who would benefit greatly from appropriate clinical management. To identify additional breast cancer predisposition genes whole exome sequencing of familial high-risk breast cancer patients was undertaken. DNA samples from 50 pairs of breast cancer patients from high-risk breast cancer families with no pathogenic mutations in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 breast cancer predisposition genes were subjected to whole exome sequencing. The goal was to select candidate predisposition genes for further validation studies based on sharing of putative protein inactivating mutations among both members of each family and/or the frequency of inactivating mutations among the 50 families.

  Study phs000480

• Functionally Active Copy Number Variants Associated with Prostate Cancer Risk

  Prostate cancer is a leading cause of cancer death in males throughout the world and has the largest estimated effect of heritability among the most common tumor types. Copy Number Variants (CNVs) are a recently recognized class of human germline polymorphisms (Iafrate AJ, et al. (2004) Nat Genet 36, 949-951; Sebat J, et al. (2004) Science 305, 525-528.) and are associated with a variety of human diseases, including cancer. This study characterized 1,903 individuals from the Tyrol Early Prostate Cancer Detection Program (Bartsch G, et al. (2008) BJU Int 101, 809-816) using a computational framework (Banerjee S, et al. (2011) PLoS One 29;6(3)). The study results establish non-coding and coding germline CNVs as significant risk factors for prostate cancer susceptibility and implicate their role in disease development and progression. The study "Identification of functionally active, low frequency copy number variants at 15q21.3 and 12q21.31 associated with prostate cancer risk," Demichelis F, Setlur SR, Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2012 Apr 24;109(17):6686-91.

  Study phs000487

• Genomic Sequencing of Lung Adenocarcinoma

  Lung carcinoma is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States and world-wide; lung adenocarcinoma is the most common cause of lung cancer. Pilot studies of lung adenocarcinoma with hybrid-capture based whole exome sequencing will enable us to identify new targets for therapy and improve diagnosis. We will analyze a blend of whole exome and whole genome sequencing data as well as copy number and somatic mutation calls for 200 tumor and matched normal controls. When completed this study will represent the most comprehensive lung adenocarcinoma genome dataset to date.

  Study phs000488

• Medulloblastoma exome sequence analysis

  Medulloblastomas are the most common malignant brain tumors in children. Identifying and understanding the genetic events that drive these tumors is critical for the development of more effective diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic strategies. Recently, our group and others described distinct molecular subtypes of medulloblastoma based on transcriptional and copy number profiles. Here, we utilized whole exome hybrid capture and Illumina sequencing to identify somatic mutations across the coding regions of 92 primary medulloblastoma/normal pairs. Overall, medulloblastomas exhibit low mutation rates consistent with other pediatric tumors, with a median of 0.35 non-silent mutations per megabase. We identified twelve genes mutated at statistically significant frequencies, including previously known mutated genes in medulloblastoma such as CTNNB1, PTCH1, MLL2, SMARCA4 and TP53. Recurrent somatic mutations were identified in an RNA helicase gene, DDX3X, often concurrent with CTNNB1 mutations, and in the nuclear co-repressor (N-CoR) complex genes GPS2, BCOR, and LDB1, to our knowledge novel findings in medulloblastoma and all cancer. We show that mutant DDX3X potentiates transactivation of a TCF promoter and enhances cell viability in combination with mutant but not wild type beta-catenin. Together, our study reveals the alteration of Wnt, Hedgehog, histone methyltransferase and now N-CoR pathways across medulloblastomas and nominates the RNA helicase DDX3X as a component of pathogenic beta-catenin signaling in medulloblastoma. "Reprinted from 'MEDULLOBLASTOMA EXOME SEQUENCING UNCOVERS SUBTYPE-SPECIFIC SOMATIC MUTATION', with permission from Nature"

  Study phs000504

• Genomic Sequencing of Pediatric Rhaboid Cancers

  In this study, we sequenced the exomes of 35 rhabdoid tumors, highly aggressive cancers of early childhood. This study is part of a larger effort to characterize pediatric cancers as part of the Slim Initiative for Genomic Medicine (SIGMA) project.

  Study phs000508

• Genome Sequencing of Hepatocellular Carcinoma at The Human Genome Sequencing Center of Baylor College of Medicine (HGSC-BCM)

  Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) accounts for 85-90% of primary liver cancers. We have focused on three major HCC etiologies:hepatitis C virus (HCV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and nonviral causes. The onset and progression of cancer is driven by extensive rearrangement and mutation of the genome. We combined our capability to capture and enrich exome DNA with the next generation sequencing capacity to allow us to detect and characterize the somatic mutation profile of patients with HCC. Patient samples were collected by the Liver Center, Division of Abdominal Transplantation in the Baylor College of Medicine Department of Surgery. Sequencing of HCC is one of the NHGRI Center Initiated Projects in progress in the Human Genome Sequencing Center at Baylor College of Medicine.

  Study phs000509

• Rearrangements of the MAST Kinase and Notch Gene Families in Breast Cancer

  Paired-end transcriptome sequencing was performed on a panel of breast cancer cell lines and tissues and a set of benign cell line and tissue controls. Analyses of the paired end sequences were performed and chimeric transcripts derived from gene rearrangement events were identified. Sequencing was performed on Illumina GAII and HiSeq 2000 platforms with read lengths from 40 to 100 bases.

  Study phs000513

• Genome Sequencing of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma at The Human Genome Sequencing Center of Baylor College of Medicine (HGSC-BCM)

  Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDAC) is the 11th most common cancer in the USA but the 4th in fatalities. The onset and progression of cancer is driven by extensive rearrangement and mutation of the genome. We combined our capability to capture and enrich exome DNA with the next generation sequencing capacity to allow us to detect and characterize the somatic mutation profile of 24 patients with PDAC. Patient samples were collected by the Elkins Pancreatic Center in the Baylor College of Medicine Department of Surgery. Sequencing of the pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is one of the NHGRI Center Initiated Projects in progress in the Human Genome Sequencing Center at Baylor College of Medicine. These data are also contributed to an ICGC study and will be published with the ICGC collaborators.

  Study phs000516

• GWAS in African Americans, Latinos and Japanese

  The Multiethnic Cohort Study is a population-based prospective cohort study (n=215,251) that was initiated between 1993 and 1996 and includes subjects from various ethnic groups - African Americans and Latinos primarily from Californian (great Los Angeles area) and Native Hawaiians, Japanese-Americans, and European Americans primarily from Hawaii. State drivers' license files were the primary sources used to identify study subjects in Hawaii and California. Additionally, in Hawaii, state voter's registration files were used, and, in California, Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) files were used to identify additional African American study subjects. In the cohort, incident cancer cases are identified annually through cohort linkage to population-based cancer Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) registries in Hawaii and Los Angeles County as well as to the California State cancer registry. Information on estrogen receptor status is also obtained through these registries. Blood sample collection in the MEC began in 1994 and targeted incident breast cancer cases and a random sample of study participants to serve as controls for genetic analyses. Subjects are frequency matched on age at blood draw and ethnicity. The following number of breast cancer cases and controls were genome-wide scanned as part of this study: African Americans, 473 cases and 464 controls; Japanese: 885 cases and 822 controls; Latinos, 520 cases and 544 controls.

  Study phs000517

• Study of Melanoma Risk in Australia and the United Kingdom

  The results from a small number of melanoma GWAS have been published. Initial studies identified several pigmentation- and nevus-associated loci that mediate an effect on melanoma risk, however, these studies were somewhat limited in that sample number (hence power) was low, they used first-generation low density SNP arrays, or used pools of DNA samples. Subsequently, additional melanoma GWAS have been completed, including a "Phase 2" study by the International Melanoma Genetics Consortium (GenoMEL), a full GWAS of the Australian sample resource previously used in a pooled-DNA GWAS, and study conducted through the MD Anderson Cancer Center and the Brigham and Women's Hospital. The groups who performed these studies have recently shared data and replicated a number of new melanoma susceptibility loci. Aside from the identification of novel loci, there are two additional notable outcomes of these studies. Firstly, an examination of the observed versus expected test statistics (Q-Q plot) from the Australian study, even after removing data from SNPs within known replicated susceptibility loci, reveals that there remains an excess of positive results. Similarly, the latest GenoMEL study finds almost three times as many SNPs reaching p-values between 10-4 and 10-5 as would be expected by chance. In the light of other studies of complex traits [1], these data suggest that studies based on additional melanoma samples from the same population are likely to identify an even larger "polygenic tail" and should prove invaluable in identifying and characterizing the underlying loci. A second observation, is that the effect size for replicated associations differs very little between GWAS. Given the strong effect of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) on risk of melanoma this might be expected to affect penetrance, particularly in the Australian and English samples, which are ethnically similar, but have very different sun exposures. We hypothesize that those SNPs whose effects are strongly mediated by UVR exposure may have smaller marginal effects on risk and are therefore harder to detect initially, suggesting a whole category of genetic effects that are unexplored.Indeed, most melanoma GWAS performed to date used samples from both European and Australian populations in discovery and or replication, and thus, existing studies have been poorly powered to detect associations with a wide difference in effect between these low- and high-UVR populations. Here, we wish to pursue this hypothesis further and plan to genotype additional cases drawn from the English and Australian populations. This will serve two complementary objectives: firstly, it will greatly increase our collective power to detect additional new melanoma risk alleles; secondly, it will highlight associations that are stronger specifically within the context of either low-UVR or high-UVR exposure environments. We posit that these data will be invaluable, not just for identifying novel melanoma-associated loci, but also for addressing gene-environment interactions. We have available a collection of valuable resources to help fulfill our aims. These include a considerable number of well-characterized and ungenotyped Australian and UK melanoma cases, as well as existing genotype data from sets of Australian and UK cases and population-based controls. We propose the following Specific Aims: To extend our current collective melanoma GWAS by genotyping a large number of additional UK and Australian cases. To jointly analyze these data and identify new melanoma risk loci. To determine whether pre-existing and new melanoma risk alleles show different degrees of association between the English and Australian populations, and assess whether these differences might be due to differences in sunlight exposure.

  Study phs000519

• Expressed Pseudogenes in the Transcriptional Landscape of Human Cancers

  In this study, we describe a systematic analysis of pseudogene 'transcription' from an RNA-Seq resource of 293 samples, from 13 cancer and normal tissue types. We observed a highly prevalent, genome-wide expression of pseudogenes that could be categorized as universally expressed or lineage- and/or cancer-specific. We also explored disease subtype specificity and functions of selected expressed pseudogenes. We provide evidence that transcribed pseudogenes are a significant contributor to the transcriptional landscape of cells and are positioned to play significant roles in cellular differentiation and cancer progression. Our work provides a transcriptome resource that enables high-throughput analyses of pseudogene expression.

  Study phs000525

• Whole Genome and Exon Capture Sequencing of Bladder Cancers

  One primary bladder cancer and paired peripheral blood sample were subjected to whole genome sequencing on an Illumina HiSeq 2000 platform. This technology was utilized to investigate the genetic basis of a durable remission of metastatic bladder cancer in a patient treated with everolimus, a drug that inhibits the mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) signaling pathway. Among the somatic mutations found was a loss-of-function mutation in TSC1 (Tuberous Sclerosis Complex 1), a regulator of mTOR pathway activation. Targeted sequencing using an exon capture and sequencing assay was performed on 13 tumors derived from patients on the same everolimus trial as the index patient and the sequencing data from these tumors is included. TSC1 mutation status was correlated with response to everolimus. The index patient responder tumor and peripheral blood DNA were also subjected to exon capture and sequencing.

  Study phs000535

• Exome Sequencing of Pleuropulmonary Blastoma

  Pleuropulmonary blastoma (PPB) is a rare, aggressive pediatric cancer arising from the lung or pleural cavity. In this study, we sequenced and analyzed the exomes of 15 PPB matched tumor and normal pairs. This study is part of a larger effort to characterize pediatric cancers as part of the Slim Initiative for Genomic Medicine (SIGMA) project.

  Study phs000543

• A Genome-Wide Association Study in Breast Cancer Patients from the Prospectively Randomized SUCCESS Trial

  The SUCCESS-A Study (http://www.success-studie.de) is a randomized Phase III study of response to treatment of early primary breast cancer with adjuvant therapy after surgical resection. The primary outcome is disease-free survival and secondary outcomes are overall survival and toxicity. The study design includes comparison of two pairs of treatment regimes performed in sequence. The first randomization contrasts treatment with and without Gemcitabine (3 cycles of Epirubicin-Fluorouracil-Cyclophosphamide(FEC)-chemotherapy, followed by 3 cycles of Docetaxel(D)-chemotherapy versus 3 cycles of Epirubicin-Fluorouracil-Cyclophosphamide(FEC), followed by 3 cycles of Gemcitabine-Docetaxel(DG)-chemotherapy). The second randomization contrasts treatment with Zoledronate for two versus five years. Patients were recruited from 2005 to 2007 and a total of 3754 patients were included from 250 study sites across Germany. Genome-wide SNP microarray data and phenotype outcomes for the first phase of the study (treatment with and without Gemcitabine) are included in the GARNET (Genomics and Randomized Trials Network) pharmacogenomic study in this dbGaP submission. (The Zoledronate treatments are still underway). SUCCESS-A is a an open-label, multicenter, 2x2 factorial design, randomized controlled, Phase III study comparing the disease free survival after randomization in patients treated with 3 cycles of Epirubicin-Fluorouracil-Cyclophosphamide(FEC)-chemotherapy, followed by 3 cycles of Docetaxel(D)-chemotherapy versus 3 cycles of Epirubicin-Fluorouracil-Cyclophosphamide(FEC), followed by 3 cycles of Gemcitabine-Docetaxel(DG)-chemotherapy, and to compare the disease free survival after randomization in patients treated with 2 years of Zoledronate versus 5 years of Zoledronate in patients with early primary breast cancer. Patients were required to have histopathological proof of axillary lymph node metastases (pN1-3) or high risk node negative, defined as: pT>2 or histopathological grade 3, or age , ≤ 35 or negative hormone receptor, but were not allowed to have evidence of distant disease. Patients were entered into the study no later than 6 weeks after complete resection of the primary tumor. No antineoplastic treatment other than surgical treatment, the defined cytotoxic and endocrine treatment, and radiotherapy was allowed prior to study entry and during the course of the study. After surgery, leading to complete resection of the invasive and intraductal components of the primary tumor, patients were randomized to one of the following two treatments for the first phase of the project (which is included in this GARNET pharmacogenomics study): AA: 3 cycles of 5-Fluorouracil 500 mg/m² i.v. body surface area and Epirubicin 100 mg/m² i.v. and Cyclophosphamide 500 mg/m² i.v., (FEC100), each administered on day 1, repeated on day 22, subsequently followed by 3 cycles of Docetaxel 75 mg/m² body surface area i.v. (D), and Gemcitabine 1000 mg/m² i.v. (30 min infusion) (G), administered on day 1, followed by Gemcitabine 1000 mg/m² i.v. (30 min infusion) on day 8, repeated on day22 AB: 3 cycles of 5-Fluorouracil 500 mg/m² i.v. body surface area and Epirubicin 100 mg/m² i.v. and Cyclophosphamide 500 mg/m² i.v., (FEC100), each administered on day 1, repeated on day 22, subsequently followed by 3 cycles of Docetaxel 100 mg/m² body surface area i.v. (D), administered on day 1, repeated on day 22 A second randomization was made for assigning patients to one of the following two subsequent treatments for the second phase of the project (NOT included in the pharmacogenetic study in this dbGaP submission): BA: Zoledronic acid 4 mg i.v., every 3 months for the duration of two years, subsequently followed by zoledronic acid 4 mg i.v., every 6 months for the duration of additional three years BB: Zoledronic acid 4 mg i.v., every 3 months for the duration of two years Patients with positive hormone receptor status (≥10% positively stained cells for estrogen and/or progesterone) of the primary tumor were recommended to receive Tamoxifen treatment 20 mg p.o. per day for 2 years, after the end of chemotherapy . Subsequent to chemotherapy, postmenopausal patients with positive hormone receptor status were recommended to be treated with Anastrozole (Arimidex®) 1 mg p.o. for additional 3 years, premenopausal patients will continue Tamoxifen treatment for those additional 3 years. In addition to tamoxifen, all patients with positive hormone receptor status of the primary tumor and under the age of 40 or restart of menstrual bleeding within 6 months after the completion of cytostatic treatment or with premenopausal hormone levels as defined below were recommended to receive Goserelin (Zoladex®) 3.6 mg subcutaneously every 4 weeks over a period of 2 years following chemotherapy. Premenopausal endocrine status will be assumed, if the following serum levels are met: LH < 20 mIE/ml, FSH < 20 mIE/ml and E2 > 20 pg/ml. Endocrine therapy will start after the end of chemotherapy. All patients with breast conserving therapy or more than 3 axillary lymph node metastases or in the following cases after mastectomy will receive adjuvant radiotherapy: T3/T4-carcinoma, T2-carcinoma > 3 cm, multicentric tumor growth, lymphangiosis carcinomatosa or vessel involvement, involvement of the pectoralis fascia or a safety margin < 5 mm. Radiotherapy was usually performed after the chemotherapy and parallel to the beginning of the zoledronic acid therapy. Initially, DNA was extracted for performing SNP microarray assays using blood collected at baseline prior to the first randomization. However, the first set of SNP microarray results indicated a quality problem with approximately 50% of the DNA samples. A majority of the problematic samples were replaced with DNA extracted from redrawn blood. The remaining problematic samples were 'restored' using an Illumina FFPE Restoration procedure. A total of 3322 subjects (1638 from arm AA and 1684 from arm AB) were successfully genotyped. Among those, 1771 were from original blood samples, 1092 from redrawn blood samples and 459 from restored blood samples. The SUCCESS-A study is part of the Genomics and Randomized Trials Network (GARNET, http://www.garnetstudy.org) funded by the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI). The overarching goal is to identify novel genetic factors that contribute to disease-free survival for breast cancer patients using different forms of chemotherapy through large-scale genome-wide association studies of treatment response in randomized clinical trials. The study was conducted at the University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany. Genotyping was performed at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Inherited Disease Research (CIDR). Data cleaning and harmonization were performed at the GARNET Coordinating Center at the University of Washington.

  Study phs000547