NGS technologies (e.g., RNAseq, WES, etc.) are used to detect somatic mutations in tumors and to study germ line variation. Most NGS studies use nucleic acids isolated from whole blood or fresh frozen tissue specimens. However, formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues are one of the most widely available clinical specimens, particularly in international settings, where fresh frozen tissue is extremely difficult to obtain. The potential utility of FFPE tissue as a source for NGS would greatly enhance population-based cancer studies, especially in developing and resource-limited regions, where cancer-related mortality rates are much higher and survival rates are poorer compared to the developed regions of the world. These studies can have great utility for understanding genetic susceptibility factors of cancer for populations in the US, who share similar ancestral backgrounds to other populations, globally. This would also contribute to a more comprehensive and unbiased platform for genomic-based cancer research.
