The Brazilian Population Tumor Atlas Project

Logo do Atlas Tumoral da População Brasileira

Exploring our genetic diversity to transform knowledge into new possibilities for tackling cancer.

A project developed by the Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology (INCA), with funding and support from the Ministry of Health through the Genomes Brazil Program.

National Cancer Institute Ministry of Health

Combinando ciência de ponta e compromisso social para contribuir para diagnósticos mais precisos

More effective and personalized treatments, and thus improve cancer care in Brazil.

Equipe médica analisando exames com paciente
Ícone Mapear Perfil

Mapping the profile of Brazilian tumors

Building a detailed atlas of the molecular foundations of different types of cancer.

Ícone Integrar Dados

Integrating clinical and molecular data

Identifying patterns relevant to diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment.

Ícone Construir Repositório

Building a secure national data repository

Ensuring ethical and democratic access to high-quality information with complete security.

Ícone Reduzir Desigualdades

Reducing inequalities in cancer care

Enabling diagnostics and therapies adapted to Brazilian genetic diversity.

Overview

Results achieved so far:

Our mission is to advance precision medicine in Brazil, integrating different types of biological data to strengthen research, therapies, and cancer care.

15

Partner laboratories

10

Cancer types under study

2,000

Patients enrolled

5tb

Multi-omics data generated

ATPBR will host data from tumors that affect the Brazilian population. These data will be generated not only by INCA but also by partner institutions. Tumor data will be collected from patients across different regions of Brazil, encompassing diverse risk factors and genetic predispositions. This diversity enables a deeper understanding of how cancer manifests in our population.

Brazil is one of the most genetically diverse countries in the world, shaped by the mixing of multiple ancestries. This diversity influences both cancer risk and treatment response. One of ATPBR’s main goals is to gather data from different studies that truly represent our population, helping to reduce inequalities and strengthen health solutions tailored to Brazil.

Precision medicine aims to adapt cancer care to the biological, clinical, and social characteristics of each patient, moving beyond a one-size-fits-all approach and enabling more effective treatments. By integrating genomic, molecular, and clinical information, ATPBR will make it possible to identify tumor-specific patterns in the Brazilian population. This knowledge will support the development of therapeutic strategies that are better suited to the country’s reality, strengthening both scientific research and public policies that ensure cancer care is more precise, accessible, and equitable.

To better understand cancer, ATPBR applies multi-omics approaches, integrating different layers of biological information. These include:

  • Genome Sequencing (WGS and Exome): sequencing can cover the entire genome (whole genome sequencing, WGS) or only the coding regions (exome). Smaller panels focusing on selected genes can also be used. DNA analysis helps identify genetic alterations such as somatic and germline mutations, copy number variations, and structural variants.

  • RNA Sequencing (RNA-seq): investigates which genes are active or inactive, revealing the functional behavior of tumor cells.

  • Methylome: explores chemical modifications in DNA that regulate chromatin accessibility, influencing gene expression without altering the genetic sequence itself.

By combining these different types of data, ATPBR builds a more comprehensive and detailed view of tumors, uncovering mechanisms that would not be visible through a single approach.

ATPBR Guidelines

Patient samples go through a careful process that combines science and responsibility, resulting in valuable data for research and healthcare.

1

Careful selection of patients and samples to ensure clinical and molecular representativeness.

2

Standardized processing of samples across all preparation steps.

3

High-quality sequencing using modern and reliable platforms.

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Data pre-processing with quality filters to ensure consistency and reliability.

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Data analysis using pipelines widely recognized by the scientific community.

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Standardization of genomic references to ensure consistent and comparable analyses.

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Public portal for secure access and integrated visualization of results.

Our Team

Childhood Tumor Genomes Project

HPV-Associated Tumor Genomes Project

Ovarian Tumor Genomes Project

Endometrial Tumor Genomes Project

Cervical Tumor Genomes Project

Breast Tumor Genomes Project

Anal Cancer Genomes Project

Penile Cancer Genomes Project

Events and Publications

12 de fevereiro de 2026 The Lancet Regional Health – Americas

The Brazilian Population Tumor Atlas Project: addressing representation in cancer genomics in Brazil

Boroni M • Conteville LC • Ribeiro Pinto LF • Viola JPB

Learn More

Volunteers

Patients who wish to collaborate by donating samples strengthen cancer research in Brazil.

Collaborators

Share your omics data and help create a robust, ethical, and accessible database for the scientific community.