Causes and Consequences of Lung Cancer Health Disparities

该项目有四条主要调查路线。首先，我们目前正在对来自欧洲裔美国人和非洲裔美国人的肺癌组织进行全面的分子分析，并建立非洲裔美国人肺癌的精准医学图谱。正在对这些样本进行microRNA、编码基因表达、遗传学和甲基化分析。这些分析的目的是了解非洲裔美国人和欧洲裔美国人肺癌中是否存在肿瘤生物学差异。了解这些差异可以为病因学，预防和新的治疗方法提供线索。这项工作从NCI领导的非裔美国人肺癌GWAS延伸。第三，基于先前的文献表明细胞因子谱在非洲裔美国人和欧洲裔美国人中是不同的，并且在欧洲裔美国人中正在进行的工作表明细胞因子谱是非常有希望的风险、诊断和预后生物标志物，我们正在调查特定的炎性细胞因子谱是否也与欧洲裔美国人肺癌的诊断和预后相关。最后，由于发病率差异的主要原因尚不清楚，我们还在进行人口研究，以评估潜在原因。

This project has 4 main lines of investigation. Firstly, we are currently undertaking a comprehensive molecular analysis of lung cancer tissues from European Americans and African Americans and building a precision medicine atlas of lung cancer in African Americans. These samples are being analysed for microRNA, coding gene expression, genetics and methylation. The goal of these analyses are to understand whether differences in tumor biology exist in lung cancers from African Americans and European Americans. Understanding such differences could provide clues for etiology, prevention and new treatments. This work extends from an NCI-led GWAS of lung cancer in African Americans. Thirdly, based on previous literature suggesting that the cytokine profile is different in African Americans and European Americans, and ongoing work in European Americans showing that cytokine profiles are very promising risk, diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers, we are investigating whether a specific inflammatory cytokine profile is also associated with the diagnosis and prognosis of lung cancer in European Americans. Finally, as the main causes of the disparities in incidence are unknown, we are also conducting population studies to assess the potential causes.