Diagnosis and Staging Research

Cancer researchers have trained a computer program to scan images of tissue samples to differentiate normal lung tissue from the two most common forms of lung cancer. The program also learned to detect cancer-related genetic mutations in the samples.

Research studies show tests that analyze tumor DNA in blood, called liquid biopsies, may help detect cancer early, guide precision cancer treatment, and track treatment response.

Researchers are exploring ways to use vesicles called exosomes to gain insights into cancer and to develop clinical tools for patients.

In the largest prospective study to date of image-guided technology for identifying suspicious regions of the prostate to biopsy, researchers compared the ability of this technology to detect high-risk prostate cancer with that of the current standard of unguided prostate biopsy.

NCI is establishing the Genomic Data Commons to store, analyze and distribute cancer genomics data generated by NCI and other research organizations. The GDC will provide an interactive system for researchers to access data, with the goal of advancing the molecular diagnosis of cancer and suggest potential therapeutic targets based on genomic information.

Cancer is not a single entity, but rather, it is more than one hundred complex and distinct diseases, with most cancer types demanding a unique treatment strategy. TCGA researchers have developed a formal project for a cross tumor analysis, called Pan-Cancer. Its goal is to assemble TCGA’s wealth of data across tumor types, analyze and interpret those data, and finally, make both the analyses and the data freely available.