Impact of Tumor Grade Distribution on Genetic Alterations in Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma and Prostate Cancer

Abstract

Background/aim: A genomic analysis based on next-generation sequencing is important for deciding cancer treatment strategies. Cancer tissue sometimes displays intratumor heterogeneity and a pathologic specimen may contain more than two tumor grades. Although tumor grades are very important for the cancer prognosis, the impact of higher tumor grade distribution in a specimen used for a genomic analysis is unknown.

Patients and methods: We retrospectively analyzed the data of 61 clear cell carcinoma and 46 prostate cancer patients that were diagnosed between December 2018 and August 2022 using the GeneRead Human Comprehensive Cancer Panel or SureSelect PrePool custom Tier2. Genome annotation and curation were performed using the GenomeJack software.

Results: Tumor mutation burden (TMB) was increased in proportion to the higher tumor grade distribution in grade 2 clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). In PC, Grade Group 3/4 specimens that included an increased distribution of Gleason pattern 4 had more frequent gene mutations.

Conclusion: Our results suggest the importance of selecting the maximum distribution of higher tumor grade areas to obtain results on the precise gene alterations for genomics-focused treatments.

Keywords: Tumor grade distribution; cancer panel test; genetic alteration; intratumor heterogeneity.