Scientists form International Cancer Genome Consortium
Dated: 5/8/2008
Research organizations around the world announced today that they are launching the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC), a collaboration designed to generate high-quality genomic data on up to 50 types of cancer through efforts projected to require up to a decade.
The ICGC, which is extending an invitation to all nations to participate, will make its data rapidly and freely available to the global research community.
Singapore is one of the country members in the consortium, represented by the Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS).
GIS Executive Director Edison Liu, M.D., said, “What we will be doing is to develop a complete genetic map of human cancers. Singapore has been asked to be a leader in this international effort, which is an indication of our progress in this field.” The GIS is part of Singapore’s Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR).
Says National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Elias A. Zerhouni, M.D: “The Consortium’s commitment to making its data rapidly available in public databases will serve to accelerate research into the causes and control of cancer in the United States and throughout the world.”
Each ICGC member intends to conduct a comprehensive, high-resolution analysis of the full range of genomic changes in at least one specific type or subtype of cancer, with studies built around common standards of data collection and analysis.
Each project is expected to involve specimens from approximately 500 patients and have an estimated cost of $20 million.
As part of its coordination efforts, the ICGC will generate a list of approximately 50 cancer types and subtypes that are of clinical significance around the globe.
ICGC members plan to assume responsibility for specific cancers, and one of the ICGC’s roles will be to facilitate the exchange of information so participants’ efforts do not duplicate each other.
Worldwide, more than 7.5 million people died of cancer and more than 12 million new cases of cancer were diagnosed in 2007.
Unless progress is made in understanding and controlling cancer, those numbers are expected to rise to 17.5 million deaths and 27 million new cases in 2050.
