GenRisk cancer

`Genetic and metabolomics screening: towards precision medicine in cancer prevention`

We assess the association of known and unknown factors with cancer to estimate the risk of developing cancer and improve prevention.

Collaborative project

The Fundación Científica de la Asociación Española contra el Cáncer (AECC) has awarded a grant of 500,000 € to the consortium of 15 translational groups coordinated by Dr. Victor Moreno. GenRisk cancer is also a subprogram of CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP).

We are an established consortium of cancer research institutes through 12 Spanish provinces, coordinated by CIBERESP. A large epidemiological study has been performed in Spain, MCC-Spain that has recruited 6,008 subjects with common cancers (colorectal, breast, stomach, prostate and chronic lymphocytic leukemia) and 4,098 population controls. In addition to epidemiological and dietary data, biological samples have been obtained which now will be analyzed to determine genetics and metabolomics from subjects.

Objectives

The project aims to improve prevention of the studied cancers, through personalized strategies. Acting before the cancer appears or is at its early stage will diminish the morbidity and its social impact, and will reduce health cost in demographically shifting western world. Screening programs have already proven as successful direction towards lowering mortality from breast, colorectal and cervical cancer. However, screening today is done using only age to select population. With our project we want to move forward, towards personalized prevention so that genetics and lifestyle data will help to define how cancer prevention must be performed for each person.

With samples and data from 10,000 participants, predictive models of cancer risk and prognostic will be developed and validated, using innovative bioinformatics methodology.

Healthy population

Risk models will be developed using genomics, metabolomics and lifestyle data to identify population at high risk of developing cancer.

Cancer patients

Improve prognosis and reduce cancer recurrence using prognostic models based on genetics, metabolomics and epidemiological data.

Studied tumors

Colorectal

Breast

Prostate

Stomach

LLC

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

Project stages

Genetic analysis

Genetic analysis of all participants

Metabolome analysis

Blood molecules that provide information about metabolism, nutrition or energetic status

Association analysis

Relationship of cancer, genome and metabolome with:
- diet

- physical exercise

- obesity

- alcohol and smoking

- environment

- occupation

- medicines

- infections

- metals

- hormones

Causality analysis

Evaluate whether a factor causes cancer or if this factor is altered after cancer onset

Risk models

Models to predict cancer risk for the studied tumors

Prognostic models

Models to predict which patients will have a better survival

Economic evaluation

Cost-effectiveness models to evaluate personalized screening strategies

Validation study

Verification in independent studies that the models are valid and useful

Project progress

Samples collection

100%

Genotyping

100%

Metabolomics

30%

Models

20%

Work team

Victor Moreno ICO-IDIBELL, Barcelona

Victor Moreno

Manolis Kogevinas ISGlobal, Barcelona

Manolis Kogevinas

Adonina Tardón Universidad de Oviedo

Adonina Tardón

Vicente Martín Universidad de León

Vicente Martín

Pilar Amiano IISB, San Sebastian

Pilar Amiano

Delphine Casabonne IDIBELL-ICO, Barcelona

Delphine Casabonne

Trinidad Dierssen Universidad de Cantabria, Santander

Trinidad Dierssen

Pablo Fernández ISCIII, Madrid

Pablo Fernández

José María Huerta FFIS, Murcia

José María Huerta

Juan Alguacil Universidad de Huelva

Juan Alguacil

Rafael Marcos IDIBGI-ICO, Girona

Rafael Marcos

María del Rocío Olmedo Universidad de Granada

María del Rocío Olmedo

Eva Ardanaz ISPLN, Pamplona

Eva Ardanaz

Dolores Salas FISABIO, Valencia

Dolores Salas

Antoni Serrano FSJD, Barcelona

Antoni Serrano

María José Sánchez EASP, Granada

María José Sánchez

Marina Pollán ISCIII, Madrid

Marina Pollán

Beatriz Pérez ISCIII, Madrid

Beatriz Pérez

Núria Aragonés DGSP Comunidad de Madrid

Núria Aragonés

Gemma Castaño ISGlobal, Barcelona

Gemma Castaño

Javier Llorca Universidad de Cantabria, Santander

Javier Llorca

José Juan Jiménez Universidad de Granada

José Juan Jiménez

Institutions

Funding

This project has been funded by Fundación Científica de la Asociación Española contra el Cáncer (AECC) with the contribution of Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP).