Journal article
Genome-wide association studies of cancer: current insights and future perspectives
Division of Genetics and Epidemiology, The Institute of Cancer Research.1
Division of Molecular Pathology, The Institute of Cancer Research, 15 Cotswold Road, Sutton, London SM2 5NG, UK.2
Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) provide an agnostic approach for investigating the genetic basis of complex diseases. In oncology, GWAS of nearly all common malignancies have been performed, and over 450 genetic variants associated with increased risks have been identified. As well as revealing novel pathways important in carcinogenesis, these studies have shown that common genetic variation contributes substantially to the heritable risk of many common cancers.
The clinical application of GWAS is starting to provide opportunities for drug discovery and repositioning as well as for cancer prevention. However, deciphering the functional and biological basis of associations is challenging and is in part a barrier to fully unlocking the potential of GWAS.
| Language: | English |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Nature Publishing Group UK |
| Year: | 2017 |
| Pages: | 692-704 |
| ISSN: | 14741768 and 1474175x |
| Types: | Journal article |
| DOI: | 10.1038/nrc.2017.82 |
