Molecular and phenotypic profiling of colorectal cancer patients in West Africa reveals biological insights

Olusegun Isaac Alatise, Gregory C. Knapp, Avinash Sharma, Walid K. Chatila, Olukayode A. Arowolo, Olalekan Olasehinde, Olusola C. Famurewa, Adeleye D. Omisore, Akinwumi O. Komolafe, Olaejinrinde O. Olaofe, Aba I. Katung, David E. Ibikunle, Adedeji A. Egberongbe, Samuel A. Olatoke, Sulaiman O. Agodirin, Olusola A. Adesiyun, Ademola Adeyeye, Oladapo A. Kolawole, Akinwumi O. Olakanmi, Kanika AroraJeremy Constable, Ronak Shah, Azfar Basunia, Brooke Sylvester, Chao Wu, Martin R. Weiser, Ken Seier, Mithat Gonen, Zsofia K. Stadler, Yelena Kemel, Efsevia Vakiani, Michael F. Berger, Timothy A. Chan, David B. Solit, Jinru Shia, Francisco Sanchez-Vega, Nikolaus Schultz, Murray Brennan, J. Joshua Smith, T. Peter Kingham

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

30 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Understanding the molecular and phenotypic profile of colorectal cancer (CRC) in West Africa is vital to addressing the regions rising burden of disease. Tissue from unselected Nigerian patients was analyzed with a multigene, next-generation sequencing assay. The rate of microsatellite instability is significantly higher among Nigerian CRC patients (28.1%) than patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA, 14.2%) and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC, 8.5%, P < 0.001). In microsatellite-stable cases, tumors from Nigerian patients are less likely to have APC mutations (39.1% vs. 76.0% MSKCC P < 0.001) and WNT pathway alterations (47.8% vs. 81.9% MSKCC, P < 0.001); whereas RAS pathway alteration is more prevalent (76.1% vs. 59.6%, P = 0.03). Nigerian CRC patients are also younger and more likely to present with rectal disease (50.8% vs. 33.7% MSKCC, P < 0.001). The findings suggest a unique biology of CRC in Nigeria, which emphasizes the need for regional data to guide diagnostic and treatment approaches for patients in West Africa.

Original languageEnglish
Article number6821
JournalNature Communications
Volume12
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Dec 2021

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The authors would like to acknowledge our partners within the African Research Group for Oncology (https://www.argo-research.org/institutional-partners/) and the research team at Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex, including Gbenga Samson, Olalude Olawale, and Busayo. The authors would also like to recognize Agnes Viale, PhD and S. Duygu Selcuklu, PhD at the Marie-Jose and Henry R. Kravis Center for Molecular Oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center for assistance with specimen collection, data management/generation, and project management. Erin Pat-terson, PhD (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center) provided editorial assistance. This research was funded in part by Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) with support from the Thompson Family Foundation, an MSKCC Population Science Research Grant, and the NIH/NCI Cancer Center Support Grant P30 CA008748.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021, The Author(s).

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

  • General Chemistry
  • General Biochemistry,Genetics and Molecular Biology
  • General Physics and Astronomy

PubMed: MeSH publication types

  • Journal Article
  • Observational Study
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

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