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Alganmi N, Bashanfar A, Alotaibi R, Banjar H, Karim S, Mirza Z, Abusamra H, Al-Attas M, Turkistany S, Abuzenadah A. Uncovering hidden genetic risk factors for breast and ovarian cancers in BRCA-negative women: a machine learning approach in the Saudi population. PeerJ Comput Sci 2024; 10:e1942. [PMID: 38660159 PMCID: PMC11042021 DOI: 10.7717/peerj-cs.1942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Breast and ovarian cancers are prevalent worldwide, with genetic factors such as BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations playing a significant role. However, not all patients carry these mutations, making it challenging to identify risk factors. Researchers have turned to whole exome sequencing (WES) as a tool to identify genetic risk factors in BRCA-negative women. WES allows the sequencing of all protein-coding regions of an individual's genome, providing a comprehensive analysis that surpasses traditional gene-by-gene sequencing methods. This technology offers efficiency, cost-effectiveness and the potential to identify new genetic variants contributing to the susceptibility to the diseases. Interpreting WES data for disease-causing variants is challenging due to its complex nature. Machine learning techniques can uncover hidden genetic-variant patterns associated with cancer susceptibility. In this study, we used the extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) and random forest (RF) algorithms to identify BRCA-related cancer high-risk genes specifically in the Saudi population. The experimental results exposed that the RF method scored superior performance with an accuracy of 88.16% and an area under the receiver-operator characteristic curve of 0.95. Using bioinformatics analysis tools, we explored the top features of the high-accuracy machine learning model that we built to enhance our knowledge of genetic interactions and find complex genetic patterns connected to the development of BRCA-related cancers. We were able to identify the significance of HLA gene variations in these WES datasets for BRCA-related patients. We find that immune response mechanisms play a major role in the development of BRCA-related cancer. It specifically highlights genes associated with antigen processing and presentation, such as HLA-B, HLA-A and HLA-DRB1 and their possible effects on tumour progression and immune evasion. In summary, by utilizing machine learning approaches, we have the potential to aid in the development of precision medicine approaches for early detection and personalized treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nofe Alganmi
- Computer Science, Faculty of Computing and Information Technology, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Center of Excellence in Genomic Medicine Research, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Centre of Artificial Intelligence in Precision Medicines, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Arwa Bashanfar
- Information Technology, Faculty of Computing and Information Technology, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Reem Alotaibi
- Information Technology, Faculty of Computing and Information Technology, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Haneen Banjar
- Computer Science, Faculty of Computing and Information Technology, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Center of Excellence in Genomic Medicine Research, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Centre of Artificial Intelligence in Precision Medicines, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sajjad Karim
- Center of Excellence in Genomic Medicine Research, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Medical Lab Technology, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Zeenat Mirza
- Department of Medical Lab Technology, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- King Fahd Medical Research Center, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Heba Abusamra
- Center of Excellence in Genomic Medicine Research, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Manal Al-Attas
- Center of Excellence in Genomic Medicine Research, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Shereen Turkistany
- Center of Innovation Personalized Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Adel Abuzenadah
- Center of Excellence in Genomic Medicine Research, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Medical Lab Technology, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
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