Precision Oncology Must Be Global
At 1Cell.ai, we believe that the benefits of precision oncology should not be confined to patients in well-resourced healthcare systems. Cancer does not discriminate by geography and neither should access to advanced diagnostics. This study reflects that conviction in action.
In collaboration with ILBOZA Med Hospital in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, and Tashkent Medical Park LLC, we undertook one of the first comprehensive genomic profiling studies in the Uzbek cancer patient population:- a population where the mortality-to-incidence ratio stands at a sobering 67%, reflecting how late most cancers are detected and how limited access to personalised treatment options remains.
Our Study
We performed comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) on 124 cancer patients of Uzbek ethnicity, aged 25 to 85 years, using next-generation sequencing with our OncoIndx® panel. The cohort spanned multiple tumour types, providing one of the broadest cross-tumour genomic analyses of this population to date.
What We Found
The genomic landscape of our Uzbek cohort revealed a rich and clinically significant mutational profile:
- 331 pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants were detected across the cohort
- TP53 variants were the most prevalent, constituting 20.2% (67) of all variants including; frameshift and truncating variants suggesting impairment of TP53 protein function
- Key oncogenic drivers were also identified: PIK3CA (8.5%), APC (6.3%), KRAS (6%), EGFR (4.5%), PTEN (2.7%), and BRCA1/2 (1.8%) :- all representing actionable targets for existing or emerging therapies
- Mismatch Repair (MMR) genes including; MSH6, MSH3, MLH1, PMS2, MUTYH, and MSH2 were found to be mutated across the cohort
- Three patients with colon and lung cancers exhibited high microsatellite instability (MSI): a critical biomarker for immunotherapy eligibility
Why This Matters
For the Uzbek population, where most cancers are detected at advanced stages and treatment is often administered without molecular insight, this study demonstrates that CGP can be a transformative tool, identifying diverse oncogenic drivers across multiple pathways and expanding targeted therapeutic opportunities that would otherwise remain inaccessible.
This work is also a testament to 1Cell.ai’s global mission. By bringing our genomic profiling capabilities to underserved populations across Central Asia and beyond, we are working to ensure that the promise of precision oncology is truly universal; not a privilege reserved for the few, but a standard of care available to all.
Presented at the AACR Annual Meeting 2026, San Diego, CA | April 17–22, 2026 | #AACR26
Presented by Zilola Olimova et al | April 20, 2026 | Session PO.CL07.01