Characterization of Clonal Evolution in Microsatellite Unstable Metastatic Cancers through Multi-Regional Tumor Sequencing

Whole exome sequencing was performed on blood and multiple tumor samples from six patients with known microsatellite unstable tumors. Subclones within each tumor site were identified and within each subclone, differing microsatellite instability was characterized.]]>
Inclusion Criteria: 1) A histologically or cytologically confirmed diagnosis of cancer 2) Patients with any malignancy. 3) Patients must have tumor suitable for research tumor biopsy (as assessed by trained specialists in interventional radiology) and patients are medically fit to undergo a tissue biopsy or surgical procedure to get tumor tissue OR If patients do not have a tumor suitable for biopsy but have another tissue available for molecular evaluation. OR Patients are undergoing standard of care surgeries or procedures where fresh specimens will be first used for routine pathologic assessment and only then will leftover tissue be used for research purposes. 4) Procedure-specific signed informed consent prior to initiation of any study- related procedures. 5) Women and minorities are included in this protocol. 6) Patients with multiple malignancies remain eligible. 7) Patients with an inherited cancer syndrome or a medical history suggestive of an inherited cancer syndrome remain eligible. Autopsy Inclusion Criteria: 1) Eligible patients include any patient with metastatic or advanced cancer who is willing to donate their body at time of death for the purposes of advancing cancer research. Exclusion Criteria: 1) It is the enrolling study physician’s discretion to decide if a patient is not fit enough to undergo tissue biopsy. 2) Patients who are incarcerated are not eligible to participate. ]]>