Photo courtesy of the
National Institute of
General Medical Sciences
The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) has announced the first public release of cancer genomic data aggregated through the AACR Project Genomics Evidence Neoplasia Information Exchange (GENIE).
The data set includes nearly 19,000 de-identified genomic records collected from patients who were treated at 8 international institutions, making it one of the largest public cancer genomic data sets released to date.
The release includes data for 59 major cancer types, including leukemias, lymphomas, and multiple myeloma.
The genomic data and a limited amount of linked clinical data for each patient can be accessed via the AACR Project GENIE cBioPortal or from Sage Bionetworks. (Users must create an account for either site to access the data.)
“We are excited to make publicly available this very large set of clinical-grade, next-generation sequencing data obtained during routine patient care,” said Charles L. Sawyers, MD, AACR Project GENIE Steering Committee chairperson.
“These data were generated as part of routine patient care and, without AACR Project GENIE, they would likely never have been shared with the global cancer research community.”
AACR Project GENIE is a multi-phase, international data-sharing project aimed at catalyzing precision oncology through the development of a registry that aggregates and links clinical-grade cancer genomic data with clinical outcomes from tens of thousands of cancer patients treated at multiple institutions.
The newly released data are fully de-identified in compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
The data are derived from patients whose tumors were genetically sequenced as part of their care at any of the 8 institutions that participated in the first phase of AACR Project GENIE.
The goal of releasing these data to the cancer research community is to aid new research that will accelerate the pace of progress against cancer.
According to AACR, the data can be used to validate gene signatures of drug response or prognosis, identify new patient populations for drugs that are currently available, and uncover new drug targets and biomarkers.
“I am extremely proud that the American Association for Cancer Research, as the coordinating center for AACR Project GENIE, is delivering on its promise to make these important data publicly available just over a year after unveiling the initiative,” said Margaret Foti, PhD, MD, chief executive officer of the AACR.
To expand the AACR Project GENIE registry, the consortium is accepting applications for new participating centers. Any nonprofit institution that meets certain criteria can submit an application to become a project participant.
For more information on AACR Project GENIE, visit the project website or send an email to info@aacrgenie.org.
