The Cancer Genome Atlas Research Network: A Sight to Behold

Excerpt

Starting in 2010, I’ve enjoyed the distinct privilege to be the disease co-chair of the thyroid cancer project of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). This program is a joint effort of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI). The program was conceived and proposed in 2005 (see http://​cancergenome.​nih.​gov/​PublishedContent​/​Files/​pdfs/​TCGA_​executive_​summary.​pdf) and initiated in 2006 with several pilot projects, with the overarching goal being the comprehensive characterization of the somatic changes within the cancer genome. After initiation of pilot projects on brain, ovary, and lung cancers [1‐3], TCGA was substantially expanded with a large fund infusion from The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) to include the most common types of cancers including thyroid cancer. Here, my ultimate goals are to describe the key elements of the consortium and to discuss its relevance for the surgical pathology community, as we are in the early stages of a genomic transformation. …