Data Resource Profile: thousands of circulating RNA profiles of pre-clinical samples from the Janus Serum Bank Cohort

There is justified optimism regarding the use of miRNAs as early detection biomarkers of cancer. They are well characterized and are involved in all the hallmarks of cancer. Less is known about the role of most other non-coding RNA (ncRNAs) classes in normal physiology and tumorigenesis. The JanusRNA dataset consist of circulating RNA profiles of pre-clinical samples from 1631 cancer patients and 673 cancer-free controls. We studied eight cancer types including cancer of the: lung, colon, rectum, prostate, breast, testis, ovaries and gallbladder. JanusRNA has its origin from the large population-based Janus Serum Bank Cohort which consists of 318 628 Norwegians. The dataset combines information from the complete nationwide cancer registry, RNA sequencing profiles from 1631 cancer patients and 673 cancer-free controls, as well as data on lifestyle, anthropometry and biochemical measurements from national health surveys. The Janus Serum Bank is specifically suited for studies of early detection and risk biomarkers of cancer, since samples are collected nationwide over a large time span, pre-clinically and cancer occurs at different points in time after blood draw. We used a nested case-control design, selecting both cases and controls among the Janus cohort members. We restricted our selection to cases with at least one sample collected within 10 years prior to cancer diagnosis. We selected 673 cancer-free Janus participants for comparison of RNA levels with the cancer cases. The controls were frequency matched to the case group on sex, age at blood donation and date of blood donation. The JanusRNA dataset has been used to investigate the natural variation of circulating RNAs in cancer-free individuals. This data resource was also used in a study of variation in RNA expression associated with common traits like age, sex, smoking, BMI and physical activity in cancer-free individuals. RNA dynamics in lung and testicular carcinogenesis throughout a 10- year follow-up has also been studied.