Transcriptome analysis reveal novel gene fusions in early onset sporadic rectal cancers

Gene fusions (GFs) represent a distinct class of structural variants identified consistently in cancer genomes across multiple cancer types. Several GFs exhibit gain of oncogenic function, and thus, have been the focus for development of efficient targeted therapies. Here, we present a comprehensive landscape of GFs in early-onset sporadic rectal cancer (EOSRC), a poorly studied colorectal cancer (CRC) subtype prevalent in developing countries from the transcriptome analysis of 37 EOSRC samples. Gene Ontology analysis revealed enrichment of unique biological process terms associated with 5'- and 3'- fusion partner genes. An extensive network analysis highlighted several promiscuous genes participating in GF formation. Further, an in-depth evaluation revealed significant association of these promiscuous genes with chromosome fragile sites. Overall design: To identify all GF events in EOSRC samples, RNA-Seq on 37 EOSRC tumor samples, collected in-house, was performed.