Abstract

In the last decades, several studies have shown that somatic and germ alterations have the potential to predict tumor prognosis, response to drugs, and toxicity. The populations of Latin America present a vast genus and phenotypic diversity due to the great inter-ethnic and interracial mix. This gene flow triggers the formation of complex characteristics that allow individuals to adapt to endemic environments, such as high altitude and extreme tropical climate. These genetic changes mentioned, most of them unexplored, can be used to establish mutational profiles for the development of precision medicine, that is, the generation of new specific pharmacogenomic therapies for Latin American populations. In this review we present the state of the art of oncogenomic research, and of somatic and germ alterations in Latin America, compared with Caucasian and Asian populations.