Next Generation Sequencing in Clinical Oncology: Applications, Challenges and Promises: A Review Article

Abstract

Abstract Background: The aim of this mini-review is to highlight the potential applications of next-generation sequencing technology to the field of clinical oncology with respect to genetic diagnosis, cancer classification, predictive biomarkers and personalized medicine. Methods: Scientific databases were searched to collect relative data. Results: Effective systematic analysis of whole-genome sequence and whole-exome sequence of tumors, targeted genome profiling, transcriptome sequencing and tumor- normal comparisons can be performed using NGS in order to diagnosis of several types of cancer. Conclusion: NGS technology can be powerful enough to discover new and infrequent gene alterations, identify hereditary cancer mutation carriers and provide a reliable molecular portrait of wide range of cancers in a quick and cost-effective manner.

Keywords

• Next generation sequencing, Cancer, Genetic diagnosis, Biomarkers, Personalized medicines