Approved research

Genetic epidemiology of adult primary brain tumors

Lay summary

Brain tumors are a devastating diagnosis. Our focus is inherited genetic susceptibility. In a US-based case-control study, glioma (~1900), meningioma (~500) and a sample of study controls (~1000) are genotyped using the UK Biobank array. The goal is to supplement study controls with unaffected persons from the UK Biobank project genotyped using the same array. These controls will greatly enhance power, especially for study of tumor-specific variants expected to be rare in the general population. Limited questionnaire data will also be requested. The study may offer important new insights in the prevention of brain tumors. Our project fulfills UK Biobank?s overall goal ?? to improve the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of illness and the promotion of health throughout society?. We focus on poorly understood tumors and important contributor to cancer burden in society. (In the US, glioma is the 8th leading cause of cancer death in Caucasian men). We study disease prevention and attempt to identify novel risk factors that may point to lifestyle interventions for risk reduction. We consider genetic risk with prospects for targeted screening and early detection based on high-risk genotypes. New targets for therapy could also emerge. In this case-control study, we will compare inherited genetic traits in persons with brain tumor and persons with no history of these uncommon tumors. DNA samples were collected from persons enrolled in a large US case-control study of brain tumors (glioma and meningioma). Genotyping is underway for all cases (2,400) and a sample of study controls (1,000). The identical array for genotyping was used for most subjects in the UK Biobank project. The proposal is to supplement study controls with UK Biobank participants which will greatly enhance our power to detect rare brain tumor risk variants. We will request data for a subset of ~20,000 persons genotyped using the Affymetrix UK Biobank array, with the number requested subject to cost and availability.