Differences in genetic drivers between genders in neuroblastoma patients

Started Oct. 11, 2022

Abstract or project description

Neuroblastoma accounts for roughly 8% of all pediatric cancers. These tumors arise after oncogenic events in precursor cells in the neural crest during normal development. While a substantial number of patients spontaneously regress, median survival of Stage 4 disease is only 4 years. There are several known driver mutations including most commonly MYCN, ALK, and copy number variations. Additionally, studies have found a higher frequency of the disease in male patients. This paper will utilize the Genomic Data Commons Data Portal database to investigate frequency of various driver mutations and copy number alteration between genders in order to determine potential therapeutic targets.