A Genomic Study for Oncogene Discovery in Carcinoid

The Caring for Carcinoid Foundation (CFCF) is pleased to announce the first large-scale genomic study for oncogene discovery in carcinoid.

The medical field now widely accepts that cancer is a genetic disease stemming from changes in the DNA of cancer cells.  These changes can be either hereditary or sporadic, resulting in altered genes that can grow out of control and become cancer cells called oncogenes. If correctly identified, targeted therapies can be used to block the action of these oncogenes.  The majority of NETs are thought to be sporadic, yet relatively few studies have evaluated any of the specific genetic changes in sporadic NETs.


As a result, no carcinoid oncogenes have yet been discovered and no targeted therapies for carcinoid tumors exist.  CFCF's whole genome study of carcinoid tumors will harness: (i) the recent improvements in genetic technology, and advances in genomics research, (ii) insights from CFCF's Neuroendocrine Tumor Bionconsortium, and (iii) the results from the Cancer Genome Atlas and the Tumor Sequencing Project (see below for more information on these projects).

CFCF selected this project to revolutionize the diagnosis and treatment of carcinoid and related NETs.  Renowned researcher, Matthew Meyerson, M.D., Ph.D. will accomplish the first large-scale genomic study for oncogene discovery in carcinoid.  Dr. Meyerson is the Director of the Center for Cancer Genome Discovery at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and an Associate Professor of Pathology at the Harvard Medical School.  Dr. Meyerson's laboratory focuses on discovering cancer genome alterations using technology and expertise at the Broad Institute and the Center for Cancer Genome Discovery at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

CFCF selected Dr. Meyerson's proposal for this project because he and his team of collaborators have consistently been at the forefront of genomics.  Dr. Meyerson's laboratory has recently discovered candidate oncogenes for lung adenocarcinoma as part of the "Tumor Sequencing Project," and also for glioblastoma as part of the "Cancer Genome Atlas."  Just as Meyerson said of his Tumor Sequencing Project, he says also of this project, "Our study could achieve a real impact on the care of carcinoid patients."

Using the most powerful methods available, Dr. Meyerson and his team will identify which genes are altered in carcinoid and then compare these genes' sequences to genes from normal tissue.  The team will determine which of these genes are oncogenes and are likely to cause tumor growth.  Identifying these oncogenes can lead to the development of new targeted therapies to block or inhibit tumor growth.  Ultimately, this study may lead to new therapies "personalized" to each patient's specific mutations as well as earlier detection and diagnosis and strategies for prevention.