Prognostic impact of epithelial-mesenchymal -transition transcription factor SLUG, ZEB1, TWIST in T-cell lymphomas, their genetic abnormalities and drug sensitivity

Marjaana Häyrinen and Outi Kuittinen (Kuopio University Hospital)

The aim of the study is to reproduce with a larger sample size previous results on the effect of EMT transcription factors on peripheral T cell lymphoma and find clinical and histological factors affecting the poor prognosis.

Prognostic factors of renal cell cancer and outcome of treatments

Tuomas Mirtti and Harry Nisén (HUSLAB, Pathology)

Cancer stage and grade are still the basis for the prognostic evaluation of renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Many novel molecular and genetic biomarkers have been studied but none has been proven good enough for clinical practice. In this study we correlate a number of protein and RNA level biomarkers and the oncological outcome RCC patients in terms of cancer recurrence and disease-specific death.

Solid organ transplation and cancer

Riikka Räty (HUS)

The aim of the study is to investigate posttranspland lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLD) after solid organ transplantations in Finland during the last 20 years in order to find out the incidence and outcome of PTLD and figure out predictive factors. The eventual aim is to find out clinical and biological factors to guide the therapy of PTLD by basis of individual patients.

Porokarsinooma – kliinispatologinen tutkimus

Virve Koljonen (HUS)

Eccrine porocarcinoma is a rare skin malignancy of the eccrine sweat gland. Eccrine porocarcinoma may arise de novo but often develops from a benign eccrine poroma. Recently Merkel cell polyoma virus DNA was found in 70% of the tumours. In this current study we aim to study the carcinogenesis of eccrine porocarcinoma by gene expression profiles and the most common oncogenic driver mutations and by role of oncoviruses

Immunoscoren prognostinen merkitys radikaalisti leikatuilla kolangiokarsinoomapotilailla

Ville Sallinen & al (HUS)

This retrospective study aims to find out if immune cell -based classification called immunoscore predicts survival among patients with radically operated cholangiocarcinoma.

HUS Syöpäkeskuksessa hoidettujen edennyttä melanoomaa sairastavien potilaiden antiPD1-vasta-ainehoidon teho ja turvallisuus sekä hoidon ennustetekijöiden tunnistaminen

Siru Mäkelä (HUS)

The aim of the study is to assess the effect and safety of the PD-1 antibody treatment given to patients with spread melanoma.

T1 laryngeal cancer – prognosis and prognostic markers

Leena-Maija Aaltonen (HUS)

The aim of the national multicenter study is to discover prognostic markers for the recurrence of T1 laryngeal cancer. Tissue samples from laryngeal cancer patients between 2003-2015 will be used.

Characterization of novel sarcoma specific biomarkers and their role as prognostic and diagnostic markers and potential therapy targets

Tom Böhling (University of Helsinki)

The study is expected to increase knowledge of mechanisms behind liposarcoma (LPS) tumorgenesis, to identify novel prognostic and diagnostic factors and to identify potential therapy targets in LPS for personalized medicine.

Syöpäsydän

Päivi Lähteenmäki, Andreina Kero and Liisa Järvelä (Turku University Hospital)

The aim of the study is to investigate cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in patients diagnosed with cancer below the age of 35 in order to develop adequate guidelines for follow-up depending on individual treatments and individual risk factors. This could possibly prevent adverse outcomes and detect cardiac risk factors in the early stages when intervention can still be effective.

Studying pediatric tumors

Arndt Schmitz (Bayer AG, Germany)

Also children can be afflicted by tumors. 'Typical' childhood malignancies include deviations from normal hematological development, glioblastomas etc. The European Union Pediatric Regulation improves the health of children by facilitating the development and availability of medicines for children. A pediatric investigation plan is developed to support use of novel medicines in children, using among others molecular information about the prevalence of the target of the therapy in these indications. Analyzing Helsinki Biobank's historic tumor specimens from routine care of pediatric patients can be very helpful for these activities.

Primary hyperparathyroidism – characterization and pathogenesis of different tumor subtypes

Camilla Schalin-Jäntti and Johanna Arola (HUS)

The aims of the study are 1) to search for and characterize novel circulating and tissue markers of benign versus malignant parathyroid tumors, 2) to characterize somatic and germline genetic alterations within collaborative projects and 3) to recognize and study oncogenic pathways in parathyroid tumors. The results will help in early recognition and diagnosis of PC (parathyroid carcinoma), as well as better treatment options and outcomes.

Role and function of Prox1 transcription factor in rhabdomyosarcoma

Riikka Kivelä (University of Helsinki)

The aim of the study is to identify the role and function of Prox1 transcription factor in rhabdomyosarcomas and the downstream signaling mediated by Prox1.

Quality Registry and Biobank for Thoracic Malignancies

Marjukka Myllärniemi, Ilkka Ilonen and Jari Räsänen (University of Helsinki, HUS)

The aim of the study is identify biomarkers for thoracic malignancies in order to help with baseline diagnosis and treatment responses and therefore identify patients who would benefit from different treatments.

Tissue biomarkers in ovarian cancer biology and outcome prediction

Olli Carpen (University of Helsinki)

The ongoing project aims at identifying markers of chemoresistance and alternative treatments for ovarian cancer patients. The biobank project's aim is to validate and extend the findings, using retrospective ovarian cancer patients' tissue samples linked with clinical information.

Inter- and intra-tumoral heterogeneity of adenocarcinoma of the esophagus through cellular analysis of protein, microRNA and genomic profiles

Jari Räsänen and Sandro Mattioli (HUS and University of Bologna, Italy)

In the study a cellular analysis of protein, microRNA and genomic profiles will be conducted on tissue samples taken from patients diagnosed with adenocarcinoma of the esophagus between years 2000-8/2013.  The aim of the study is to define the special features of the different subtypes of the disease for a more targeted treatment of the patients in the future.

Haiman neuroendokriinisten kasvainten merkkiainetutkimus

Henna Sammalkorpi, Hanna Seppänen and Caj Haglund (HUS)

The aim of the study is to find new diagnostic markers for the diagnosis and treatment plan of neuroendocrine tumours in the pancreas.

Tumor antigens under chemotherapy treatment

Arndt Schmitz (Bayer AG, Germany)

Tumor cells can be different to normal healthy cells already at their surface. Certain proteins are present only on tumor cells or to a much higher extent than on surrounding normal healthy cells. Antibodies can be engineered to only recognize such proteins and to carry a toxic payload with them, which then preferentially kills tumor cells. Aim of this study is to analyze whether the presence of one of these proteins known as mesothelin remains constant during tumor development or whether this is affected by current treatments such as chemotherapy. This new knowledge will help to advance innovative treatment options.

Biomarkkerit keuhkon karsinoidituumoreissa

Johanna Arola and Tiina Vesterinen (University of Helsinki)

By analysing tissue samples and related clinical data collected from Finnish pulmonary carcinoid patients the aim is to find new, or validate already found, diagnostic, predictive and/or prognostic markers for pulmonary carcinoids. The long-term objective is to improve diagnostics, prediction and prognostic evaluation of pulmonary carcinoid patients.

A mobile mini-microscope (MoMic) – evaluation for diagnostics

Johan Lundin (Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland FIMM)

This is a retrospective local research project, which aims to explore the application of a mobile microscope (Momic) for cancer and infectious disease diagnostics. Previously collected anonymized patient samples will be digitized with the Momic-system and stored in a register with the corresponding PAD report.

Comparison of tissue protein levels in tongue cancer and healthy tongue

Suvi Renkonen (University of Helsinki)

In this study, tissue biopsies from tongue cancer as well as clinically healthy tongue tissue of patients with tongue cancer are taken and analysed with MS (mass spectrometry). The aim is to characterize the protein abundances in these two tissue types and find the protein attributes that best describe this classification.

Comprehensive Primary Lung Tumour Analysis to Evaluate Precision Medicine Opportunities

Emmy Verschuren (Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland FIMM)

The aim of the project is to investigate lung cancer histotype-specific immune markers. Immunostaining results will be correlated with clinical features of the patients such as co-existence of inflammatory diseases, clinical treatments, and tumor stage results.

Extracellular vesicles as biomarker in prostate cancer

Taija af Hällström and Elina Serkkola (Orion Pharma)

The aim of the study is to isolate urinary extracellular vesicles and profile their RNA-content. Urine samples from the urology sample collection will be applied. The study will be conducted by Orion Pharma and FIMM as a part of the Salwe GID-project. http://www.salwe.fi/get-it-done.html

Circulating tumor DNA liquid biopsy analysis to optimize ovarian cancer treatment. ONCOSYS

Mikko Lokovaara et al.  (HUS)

Resistance to therapeutic regimens in solid cancers is the greatest contributor to cancer mortality and the most urgent unmet challenge in oncology. Blood provides a versatile data source to predicting  effective treatments and adverse events during the chemotherapy treatment.  In this project we are using freely circulating tumor DNA extracted from bloood along with the tumor tissue samples of High Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer (HGSOC) patients. We will implement and develop methods  and investigate patients cancer gene region aberrations (exon- level sequencing) and their changes during the chemotherapy treatment.

Sex Disparity in Papillary Thyroid Cancer (PTC)

Päivi Peltomäki (University of Helsinki), Albert de la Chapelle and Taina Nieminen (The Ohio State University)

The most common endocrine malignancy is thyroid cancer. It is the 12th most common cancer in the USA, being particularly common in women between 20-34 years of age. In spite of enormous research efforts the mechanisms of gender disparity in PTC are totally unknown. Our specific aim is to investigate why female to male ratio in PTC is so strongly associated with young women by searching for sequence variants that promote the development of PTC in females and/or variants that protect against PTC in males. We propose to perform a Genome-wide association analysis enghasing variants in the X-and Y-chromosomes. It would be a breakthrough in cancer research if we can shed even a little light on why females are so dramatically susceptible to develop PTC. This research is likely to increase the understanding of the developmental mechanisms of PTC.