Evolving Role of Genomics in Genitourinary Neoplasms

Abstract

The aim of this article is to review the current role of genomic testing in the risk, prognosis, and treatment of genitourinary malignancies. The authors selected guidelines, publications, and abstracts relevant to the current and emerging role of genomics in genitourinary cancers. The risk of developing genitourinary cancer can be stratified based on genomic data. Prostate cancer has the strongest degree of heritability, with BRCA1/2 and HOXB13 mutations playing a role in familial disease. Genomic data is on the verge of informing treatment decisions across genitourinary cancers. mCRPC has diverse genomic alterations that represent potential therapeutic targets, including alterations in the AR pathway, DNA damage and repair pathways, cell cycle pathways, PI3K pathway, and Wnt signaling. Genomic alterations in clear cell renal cell carcinoma can inform prognosis and mutations in mTOR pathways predict response to mTOR inhibitors. Urothelial carcinoma can be classified into different subtypes based on gene expression profiling, which provides prognostic information and predicts response to chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Specific mutations have been identified that predict response to therapy including ERCC2 mutations and cisplatin, DNA damage and repair mutations and checkpoint inhibitors, and FGFR3 mutations and FGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors such as erdafitinib.

Conclusion. Genitourinary malignancies have not felt the impact of genomic data as greatly as other cancer types. The majority of benefit lies in identifying patients at high risk of genitourinary cancer. Fortunately, breakthroughs are on the horizon that will result in a greater incorporation of genomic information into treatment decisions for patients with genitourinary cancer.