Genomic Analysis Reveals Heterogeneity Between Lesions in Synchronous Primary Right-Sided and Left-Sided Colon Cancer.

Background

The synchronous primary right-sided and left-sided colon cancer (sRL-CC) is a peculiar subtype of colorectal cancer. However, the genomic landscape of sRL-CC remains elusive.

Methods

Twenty-eight paired tumor samples and their corresponding normal mucosa samples from 14 patients were collected from the Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University from 2011 to 2018. The clinical-pathological data were obtained, and whole-exome sequencing was performed based on formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded samples of these patients, and then, comprehensive bioinformatic analyses were conducted.

Results

Both the lesions of sRL-CC presented dissimilar histological grade and differentiation. Based on sequencing data, few overlapping SNV signatures, onco-driver gene mutations, and SMGs were identified. Moreover, the paired lesions harbored a different distribution of copy number variants (CNVs) and loss of heterozygosity. The clonal architecture analysis demonstrated the polyclonal origin of sRL-CC and inter-cancerous heterogeneity between two lesions.

Conclusion

Our work provides evidence that lesions of sRL-CC share few overlapping mutational signatures and CNVs, and may originate from different clones.