Gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (GEP-NENs) are a group of rare cancers that form in hormone-producing cells of the digestive system. The number of people diagnosed with these cancers is increasing worldwide, but we still don’t fully understand what causes them or how to best treat them.
Our research aims to substantially improve knowledge of the biological basis of GEP-NENs by analysing genetic, biochemical, imaging, lifestyle and health data from a large group of people. We will study information from an existing group of 800 GEP-NEN patients as well as from over 500,000 volunteers in the UK Biobank.
By comparing data from people with and without these cancers, we hope to validate known risk factors and discover new biological markers and treatment targets. We will use advanced statistical and computational methods to determine which factors are most important in causing GEP-NENs to develop and progress.
The scale and depth of data in the UK Biobank provides an unprecedented opportunity to make meaningful discoveries about these understudied cancers. Combining findings from our patient cohort with the Biobank data will allow us to develop robust predictive models to improve diagnosis and prognosis. We will also identify the most promising drug targets to accelerate development of new therapies.
Importantly, we will apply rigorous analysis methods to ensure the reliability of the risk factors and biological targets identified. All data and findings will be shared openly with the research community to maximise scientific impact.
This 3-year project will generate high-impact publications and data resources that substantially advance understanding of what drives GEP-NENs. The most significant public health impact will come from discovering new biomarkers for earlier diagnosis and treatment response monitoring, and from identifying validated drug targets to catalyse development of better therapies to improve and extend patients’ lives.
Leveraging the power of the UK Biobank in combination with our unique patient cohort will help transform outcomes for people with these rare but devastating cancers. The rigorous approach ensures the results will have maximal scientific impact and clinical relevance to drive much-needed progress against GEP-NENs.