The Pre-cancer Atlas (PCA) Research Centers are part of the Human Tumor Atlas Network (HTAN). HTAN, an NCI-collaborative program, is constructing multi-dimensional atlases of the cellular, morphological, molecular, and spatial features of human cancers and their surrounding microenvironments over time.
The atlases being created by HTAN describe important changes during cancer progression, such as the transition of precancers to malignant tumors, the evolution of metastatic cancer, and the development of treatment resistance.
HTAN is supported by the NCI Division of Cancer Prevention (DCP), NCI Division of Biology (DCB), the NCI Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis (DCTD), and the NCI Center for Strategic Science Initiatives (CSSI).
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About Pre-Cancer Atlas
The Pre-cancer Atlas (PCA) Research Centers, along with the Human Tumor Atlas (HTA) Research Centers and a Data Coordinating Center (DCC), make up HTAN. Each PCA Research Center will create a 2D/3D precancer atlas of a pre-cancerous lesion, focusing on how it changes into cancer.
PCA Research Centers have three major tasks:
- Collecting, processing, and labeling biospecimens.
- Studying the molecular, cellular, and spatial details of the lesions.
- Analyzing and modeling the data.
PCA Research Centers will collaborate with other components of HTAN to make the data and analytical tools available to the research community.