Publications by authors named "C A Vanderbilt"

Comprehensive molecular profiling by next-generation sequencing has revolutionized tumor classification and biomarker evaluation. However, routine implementation is challenged by the scant nature of diagnostic material obtained through minimally invasive procedures. Here, we describe our long-term experience in profiling cytology samples with an in-depth assessment of the performance, quality metrics, biomarker identification capabilities, and potential pitfalls.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Microsatellite instability (MSI) is a critical phenotype of cancer genomes and an FDA-recognized biomarker that can guide treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors. Previous work has demonstrated that next-generation sequencing data can be used to identify samples with MSI-high phenotype. However, low tumor purity, as frequently observed in routine clinical samples, poses a challenge to the sensitivity of existing algorithms.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The study analyzed genetic alterations in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from 711 patients to help classify CNS cancers and guide targeted therapies.
  • They found detectable circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in over half of CSF samples from patients with CNS tumors, while none was found in samples from patients without CNS tumors.
  • The research also revealed clonal evolution and resistance mechanisms over time, with ctDNA presence linked to poorer overall survival rates for these patients.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) is a highly aggressive malignancy that is typically associated with tobacco exposure and inactivation of RB1 and TP53 genes. Here, we performed detailed clinicopathologic, genomic, and transcriptomic profiling of an atypical subset of SCLC that lacked RB1 and TP53 co-inactivation and arose in never/light smokers. We found that most cases were associated with chromothripsis-massive, localized chromosome shattering-recurrently involving chromosome 11 or 12 and resulting in extrachromosomal amplification of CCND1 or co-amplification of CCND2/CDK4/MDM2, respectively.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF