Integrative Computational Framework, Dyscovr, Links Mutated Driver Genes to Expression Dysregulation Across 19 Cancer Types

Though somatic mutations play a critical role in driving cancer initiation and progression, the systems-level functional impacts of these mutations-particularly, how they alter expression across the genome and give rise to cancer hallmarks-are not yet well-understood, even for well-studied cancer driver genes. To address this, we designed an integrative machine learning model, Dyscovr, that leverages mutation, gene expression, copy number alteration (CNA), methylation, and clinical data to uncover putative relationships between nonsynonymous mutations in key cancer driver genes and transcriptional changes across the genome. We applied Dyscovr pan-cancer and within 19 individual cancer types, finding both broadly relevant and cancer type-specific links between driver genes and putative targets, including a subset we further identify as exhibiting negative genetic relationships. Our work newly implicates-and validates in cell lines-KBTBD2 and mutant PIK3CA as putative synthetic lethals in breast cancer, suggesting a novel combinatorial treatment approach.