iCAN to launch molecular profiling of cancer samples this autumn

In a large-scale study looking at different types of cancer, precise information about the cancer tumour is combined with the patient’s other health data in a new way. The samples are collected from patients across HUS with a biobank subscription, which means they are also available to other researchers.

Molecular profiling is an important step in the development of precision medicine for cancer. It identifies the characteristics of a cancer tumour at the molecular level, which can then be used to develop precisely targeted diagnostics and treatment. iCAN aims to use molecular profiling, among other things, to develop the conditions and uptake of digital personalised cancer treatment and diagnostics and to improve patients’ quality of life.

Data from molecular profiling will be returned to the biobank for future research
Cancer patient samples and associated health data collected in the Helsinki Biobank and the Hematological Biobank will be analysed in a separate analytical environment in the HUS data pool. The aim is to perform molecular profiling of at least 15 000 samples. The molecular profiling produced by the study will be returned to the biobank after the project, thus also providing material for future biobank studies.

At the beginning of 2021, iCAN launched 15 sub-projects involving more than 200 experts from HUS and the University of Helsinki. In addition to the Southern Cancer Centre FICAN South, the Helsinki Biobank and the Hematology Biobank, the HUS Cancer Centre, the Stomach Centre, the Heart and Lung Centre, the Head and Neck Centre, the Neurocentre, the Diagnostic Centre, the Children and Adolescent Diseases and the Gynaecology and Obstetrics units are also involved in the broad, interdisciplinary collaboration.