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The Cancer Genome Atlas

A comprehensive and coordinated effort to accelerate our understanding of the molecular basis of cancer through the application of genome analysis technologies, including large-scale genome sequencing.

Overview

The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) was a joint effort of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), which are both part of the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. More information on TCGA can be found on NCI’s The Cancer Genome Atlas Program website.

The Cancer Genome Atlas began with a pilot to  assessed the feasibility of a full-scale effort to systematically explore the entire spectrum of genomic changes involved in human cancer.  The project then molecularly characterized over 20,000 primary cancer and matched noral samples from 33 cancer types. The over 2.5 petabytes of data generated through TCGA remain publicly available for anyone in the research community to use.

 

  • Overview

    The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) was a joint effort of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), which are both part of the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. More information on TCGA can be found on NCI’s The Cancer Genome Atlas Program website.

    The Cancer Genome Atlas began with a pilot to  assessed the feasibility of a full-scale effort to systematically explore the entire spectrum of genomic changes involved in human cancer.  The project then molecularly characterized over 20,000 primary cancer and matched noral samples from 33 cancer types. The over 2.5 petabytes of data generated through TCGA remain publicly available for anyone in the research community to use.

     

News

Resource

  • The Cancer Genome Atlas Website
    The official website for The Cancer Genome Atlas
     
  • The Cancer Genome Atlas Brochure
    An informational brochure about The Cancer Genome Atlas
     
  • Mapping the Cancer Genome
    In the March 2007 issue of Scientific American, NHGRI Director Francis S. Collins and National Cancer Institute Deputy Director for Advanced Technologies and Strategic Partnerships Anna D. Barker find that pinpointing the genes involved in cancer will help chart a new course across the complex landscape of human malignancies.
     
  • Toward a Comprehensive Genomic Analysis of Cancer
    The report from a workshop co-organized by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) as part of their collaboration to initiate the pilot phase of the Human Cancer Genome Project (HCGP), July 20-22, 2005.
     
  • Report to the National Cancer Advisory Board Report from the Advanced Biomedical Technology Working Group of the National Cancer Advisory Board (NCAB), February 16, 2005
  • Resource
    • The Cancer Genome Atlas Website
      The official website for The Cancer Genome Atlas
       
    • The Cancer Genome Atlas Brochure
      An informational brochure about The Cancer Genome Atlas
       
    • Mapping the Cancer Genome
      In the March 2007 issue of Scientific American, NHGRI Director Francis S. Collins and National Cancer Institute Deputy Director for Advanced Technologies and Strategic Partnerships Anna D. Barker find that pinpointing the genes involved in cancer will help chart a new course across the complex landscape of human malignancies.
       
    • Toward a Comprehensive Genomic Analysis of Cancer
      The report from a workshop co-organized by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) as part of their collaboration to initiate the pilot phase of the Human Cancer Genome Project (HCGP), July 20-22, 2005.
       
    • Report to the National Cancer Advisory Board Report from the Advanced Biomedical Technology Working Group of the National Cancer Advisory Board (NCAB), February 16, 2005

Program Staff

Heidi J. Sofia, Ph.D.
Heidi J. Sofia, Ph.D.
  • Program Director
  • Division of Genomic Medicine

Last updated: December 1, 2020