Cancer Genetics and Epigenetics 2024, Vol.12, No.2, 79-87 http://medscipublisher.com/index.php/cge 81 al., 2021). These examples underscore the potential of WGS to revolutionize personalized medicine by providing actionable insights into the genetic underpinnings of prostate cancer. Figure 1 Summary of the patient case and outcomes (Adopted from Armstrong et al., 2021) 3.2 Targeted therapies 3.2.1 Identification of targets for drug development WGS has been instrumental in identifying novel targets for drug development in prostate cancer. By analyzing the genetic alterations present in prostate cancer samples, researchers have discovered new candidate driver mutations and potential drug targets. For instance, a comprehensive sequencing study identified 22 previously unidentified putative driver genes and several targets of approved and investigational drugs (Wedge et al., 2018). This highlights the potential of WGS to uncover new therapeutic targets that can be exploited for drug development. 3.2.2 Examples of successful targeted therapies The application of WGS in identifying actionable mutations has led to the development and implementation of successful targeted therapies. For example, the identification of BRCA2 mutations in prostate cancer patients has informed the use of PARP inhibitors, which have shown efficacy in treating these patients (Ciccarese et al., 2017; Crumbaker et al., 2020). Additionally, the discovery of specific gene fusions and amplifications, such as TMPRSS2-ERG and FGFR1, has guided the use of targeted therapies that inhibit these pathways (Roychowdhury et al., 2011; Nauseef et al., 2023). These examples demonstrate the clinical impact of WGS in enabling the development and application of targeted therapies for prostate cancer. 3.3 Predictive and prognostic value 3.3.1 Use of genetic information for predicting disease progression WGS provides valuable genetic information that can be used to predict disease progression in prostate cancer patients. By identifying specific genetic alterations associated with different stages of cancer development, WGS can help predict the likelihood of disease progression and inform treatment decisions. For instance, the loss of CHD1 and BRCA2 has been identified as early events in the development of ETS fusion-negative prostate cancers, providing insights into disease progression (Wedge et al., 2018). Additionally, the presence of mutations in DNA repair genes has been associated with sensitivity to certain therapies, which can be used to predict treatment response and disease outcomes (Ciccarese et al., 2017; Crumbaker et al., 2020). 3.3.2 Studies demonstrating prognostic significance Several studies have demonstrated the prognostic significance of genetic alterations identified through WGS. For example, a retrospective analysis of metastatic prostate cancer patients revealed that most cases harbored
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