In a recent study, scientists at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital are calling for whole-genome sequencing to be included in clinical genomic testing of childhood cancer patients after showing that the results are more accurate and sensitive. Researchers have shown that incorporating whole-genome sequencing into clinical genomic testing has led to the identification of additional cancer-causing mutations in nearly half of patients. These mutations could not be identified by sequencing only the protein-coding regions of the genome (exome) and gene expression (transcriptome). As the cost of sequencing continues to decline, scientists believe this approach will become accessible to more patients in the future.

Read the study's press release: http://ow.ly/ajMd30mqU9g

Read the article from Nature Communications: http://ow.ly/MCyT30mqUaF

More information about the corresponding authors:
James R. Downing, MD: http://www.stjude.org/Downing
Jinghui Zhang, Ph.D.: http://www.stjude.org/Zhang
David Ellison, M.D., Ph.D.: http://www.stjude.org/Ellison

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