Sex differences in oncogenic mutational processes


Change log
Authors
Prokopec, Stephenie D.  ORCID logo  https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7936-8577
Sun, Ren X. 
Yousif, Fouad 
Schmitz, Nathaniel 
Al-Shahrour, Fatima 
Abstract

Abstract: Sex differences have been observed in multiple facets of cancer epidemiology, treatment and biology, and in most cancers outside the sex organs. Efforts to link these clinical differences to specific molecular features have focused on somatic mutations within the coding regions of the genome. Here we report a pan-cancer analysis of sex differences in whole genomes of 1983 tumours of 28 subtypes as part of the ICGC/TCGA Pan-Cancer Analysis of Whole Genomes (PCAWG) Consortium. We both confirm the results of exome studies, and also uncover previously undescribed sex differences. These include sex-biases in coding and non-coding cancer drivers, mutation prevalence and strikingly, in mutational signatures related to underlying mutational processes. These results underline the pervasiveness of molecular sex differences and strengthen the call for increased consideration of sex in molecular cancer research.

Description

Funder: Canadian Network for Research and Innovation in Machining Technology, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC Canadian Network for Research and Innovation in Machining Technology); doi: https://doi.org/10.13039/501100002790


Funder: Genome Canada (Génome Canada); doi: https://doi.org/10.13039/100008762


Funder: Canada Foundation for Innovation (Fondation canadienne pour l'innovation); doi: https://doi.org/10.13039/501100000196


Funder: Terry Fox Research Institute (Institut de Recherche Terry Fox); doi: https://doi.org/10.13039/501100004376

Keywords
Article, /631/67/68, /631/114/2785, /692/4028/67/69, /692/4028/67/395, /38/23, /119, /45, article
Journal Title
Nature Communications
Conference Name
Journal ISSN
2041-1723
Volume Title
11
Publisher
Nature Publishing Group UK
Sponsorship
Gouvernement du Canada | Instituts de Recherche en Santé du Canada | CIHR Skin Research Training Centre (Skin Research Training Centre) (SVB-145586)
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Cancer Institute (NCI) (P30CA016042)