Genomic Analysis of Puerto Rican Hispanic/Latino Men with Prostate Cancer

<b>Background/Objectives:</b> Puerto Rican Hispanic/Latino (PR H/L) men experience a heightened incidence and mortality rate of aggressive forms of prostate cancer. The underlying causes of this increased disease burden likely include a complex interplay of socio-economic and biological factors. This pilot study leveraged the first cancer tissue biobank at a Hispanic-Serving Institution (Puerto Rico BioBank) and aimed to provide an initial description of the genomic features of prostate cancer in 35 PR H/L men. <b>Methods:</b> Whole-exome and RNA sequencing were performed on prostate adenocarcinoma tumor samples to investigate the genomic features associated with prostate cancer. <b>Results:</b> Our analysis suggests that mutation profiles and gene expression pattern differences are observed in this population and may be associated with disease aggressiveness and progression. Notably, mutations in <i>TP53</i> and <i>TMPRSS2-ERG</i> gene fusions, which are common in broader populations, were less prevalent in the PR H/L cohort. <b>Conclusions:</b> While this study contributes to the understanding of ethnicity-specific genetic factors in prostate cancer, underscoring the need for inclusive genomic studies, continued expansion to larger cohorts of patients under-represented in large genomic studies will be needed to more robustly characterize the full range of genomic features of prostate cancer. A broader understanding of the genomic features of prostate cancer in PR H/L men may lead to future opportunities for delivering more personalized prognoses and treatment options, helping to ensure that treatment advances and better outcomes are available to all patients.