DR-061 Molecular archaeology of cancer metastases

We aim to apply computational tools to Hartwig Medical Foundation cancer genomes to establish the order in which harmful mutations were acquired, and approximately when they were acquired during a patient’s lifetime. Furthermore, we can infer what caused the mutations (for example, smoking, UV light, etc.), and estimate when the cell was exposed to these damaging processes. Across many cancer samples, this approach lets us build a picture of how different cancers evolve over time. By comparing these results to earlier analyses we performed on primary tumours (observed at initial cancer diagnosis), we seek to understand the development of cancer as it spreads from the initial site to another site (known as metastasis). This will show whether tumours that metastasise evolve in the same way as non-metastatic cancers, and may give insight that helps to predict the metastatic step in cancer evolution.

Peter van Loo The Francis Crick Institute United Kingdom