The genomic and epigenetic landscape of Latin American cancer cohorts

Cancer arises from a complex interplay of genomic alterations and epigenetic dysregulation, yet much of what is known about these mechanisms is derived from cohorts of European or East Asian ancestry. Latin American populations, shaped by unique patterns of genetic admixture, environmental exposure, socioeconomic conditions, and healthcare access, remain markedly underrepresented in cancer genomics research, despite growing evidence that ancestry and population-specific factors can meaningfully influence tumor biology, mutational signatures, and treatment response. This gap limits both our biological understanding of cancer and the equitable translation of genomic medicine into clinical practice across diverse populations.Admixture in Latin American populations, combining Indigenous American, European, and African ancestries in varying proportions across regions, creates a unique genetic backdrop that can shape somatic mutation patterns, germline predisposition, and tumor microenvironment interactions. At the same time, epigenetic mechanisms, including DNA methylation, histone modification, and chromatin remodeling, are increasingly recognized as key drivers of tumor initiation and progression, and may interact with genetic ancestry and environmental exposures in ways that remain poorly characterized in these cohorts. Comparative analyses against the better-characterized European and East Asian cohorts that have long anchored the field are essential to determine which genomic and epigenetic features are truly population-specific, and which reflect broader, ancestry-independent tumor biology.This Research Topic aims to bring together studies that characterize the genomic and epigenetic landscape of cancer in Latin American cohorts, including comparative work against European and East Asian cohorts. We welcome original research, reviews, and methods articles addressing, but not limited to:- Genomic and epigenomic characterization of tumors in Latin American patients, including whole-genome, whole-exome, and methylation profiling- Population-specific somatic mutational signatures and structural variation- Comparative genomic and epigenomic studies contrasting Latin American cohorts with European and East Asian cohorts, identifying shared and divergent tumor mechanisms- Epigenetic regulation, including DNA methylation, histone modifications, and chromatin architecture, in cancer development and progression- The role of genetic admixture and ancestry in tumor evolution, heterogeneity, and clinical outcomes- Non-coding RNA regulation and its contribution to cancer phenotypes in underrepresented populations- Integration of multi-omics data to build a more complete picture of cancer biology across diverse ancestries- Translational and clinical implications for diagnosis, prognosis, risk stratification, and treatment response in Latin American patients, including how these compare to outcomes reported in European and East Asian populations- Bioinformatic and methodological approaches suited to the analysis of admixed and understudied populations, including cross-population and cross-cohort comparative frameworksBy centering Latin American cohorts and situating them alongside the more extensively studied European and East Asian populations, this Research Topic seeks to address a critical and persistent gap in cancer genomics, one with direct implications for global health equity. We hope to foster collaboration among researchers working across genomics, epigenetics, oncology, and population genetics, and to contribute to a more complete and equitable understanding of tumor biology across the full breadth of human genetic diversity. Topic editors: Zaida Morante Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/86179/the-genomic-and-epigenetic-landscape-of-latin-american-cancer-cohorts