Cancer Genetic Association Studies in the Genome-Wide Age

Abstract

Genome-wide association studies of hundreds of thousands of SNPs have led to a deluge of studies of genetic variation in cancer and other common diseases. Large case–control and cohort studies have identified novel SNPs as markers of cancer risk. Genome-wide association study SNP data have also advanced understanding of population-specific genetic variation. While studies of risk profiles, combinations of SNPs that may increase cancer risk, are not yet clinically applicable, future, large-scale studies will make individualized cancer screening and prevention possible.

Keywords: :

• cancer
• cancer risk
• genome-wide association study
• genomics
• population genetics
• SNP

Financial & competing interests disclosure

This research was supported by the Intramural Research Program of the National Institutes of Health and the National Cancer Institute. The author has no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by the Intramural Research Program of the National Institutes of Health and the National Cancer Institute. The author has no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed. No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.