Genomic Characterization of Brain Metastases Reveals Branched Evolution and Potential Therapeutic Targets.

ABSTRACT:

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Brain metastases are associated with a dismal prognosis. Whether brain metastases harbor distinct genetic alterations beyond those observed in primary tumors is unknown. We performed whole-exome sequencing of 86 matched brain metastases, primary tumors, and normal tissue. In all clonally related cancer samples, we observed branched evolution, where all metastatic and primary sites shared a common ancestor yet continued to evolve independently. In 53% of cases, we found potentially clinically informative alterations in the brain metastases not detected in the matched primary-tumor sample. In contrast, spatially and temporally separated brain metastasis sites were genetically homogenous. Distal extracranial and regional lymph node metastases were highly divergent from brai

SUBMITTER: Brastianos PK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4916970 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature