Grant Details
Grant Number: |
1R01CA241623-01A1 Interpret this number |
Primary Investigator: |
Choquet, Helene |
Organization: |
Kaiser Foundation Research Institute |
Project Title: |
The Role of Genetic Risk Factors in Keratinocyte Carcinoma Susceptibility |
Fiscal Year: |
2020 |
Abstract
Modified Project Summary/Abstract Section
Keratinocyte carcinoma (KC), comprised of basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, is the most
common malignancy in the United States, afflicting approximately 3 million Americans annually. The treatment
of KCs is among the most costly of all cancers. Both basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma derive
from epidermal keratinocytes, but despite sharing the same cell of origin, these two keratinocyte carcinomas
diverge along distinct oncogenic pathways. Risk factors for KCs include innate factors, such as genetic risk
loci and fair pigmentation, and environmental exposures, including sun exposure, smoking, and
immunosuppression. Recently, genetic association studies have begun to reveal specific genetic risk factors
underlying KCs. However, there remains a gap in our understanding of which of these KC genetic risk loci
affect the risk of KC in general and which affect susceptibility to basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell
carcinoma specifically, how these loci are influenced by environmental exposures, and how these loci impact
aggressive and high burden KCs. This study will determine whether KC genetic risk loci have effects that are
specific to basal cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma, or are shared across these two types of KC. We
will further evaluate how environmental factors, including sun exposure, smoking, and immunosuppression
influences these risks. Finally, we will develop a risk prediction model of high burden KCs, that builds on our
recently developed risk prediction tool for squamous cell carcinoma, cSCCscore. This tool will improve our
understanding of KC pathogenesis and help guide cancer screening decisions
Publications
None