Querying OncoTree

Introduction

OncoTree is a standardized classification system used in cancer research and clinical practice to categorize different types of cancer based on their tissue of origin, molecular characteristics, and other relevant factors. Developed by Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK), OncoTree provides a hierarchical framework that organizes cancer types into a structured tree-like diagram.

Licensing

OncoTree is licensed under CC BY 4.0. Source: https://github.com/cBioPortal/oncotree

Setup

library(AnnotationGx)

Querying OncoTree

AnnotationGx provides a set of functions for querying OncoTree to retrieve three types of information: - OncoTree release versions - Main Cancer types - Subtypes of a specific cancer type and their relationships

OncoTree release versions

The getOncotreeVersions function retrieves the available OncoTree release.

getOncotreeVersions()
#>                 api_identifier
#>                         <char>
#>  1:     oncotree_latest_stable
#>  2:        oncotree_2025_10_03
#>  3:        oncotree_2025_04_08
#>  4:       oncotree_development
#>  5: oncotree_candidate_release
#>  6:        oncotree_2021_11_02
#>  7:        oncotree_2020_10_01
#>  8:        oncotree_2020_04_01
#>  9:        oncotree_2020_02_06
#> 10:        oncotree_2020_02_01
#> 11:        oncotree_2019_12_01
#> 12:        oncotree_2019_08_01
#> 13:        oncotree_2019_05_01
#> 14:        oncotree_2019_03_01
#> 15:        oncotree_2019_02_01
#> 16:        oncotree_2018_11_01
#> 17:        oncotree_2018_09_01
#> 18:        oncotree_2018_08_01
#> 19:        oncotree_2018_07_01
#> 20:        oncotree_2018_06_15
#> 21:        oncotree_2018_06_01
#> 22:        oncotree_2018_05_01
#> 23:        oncotree_2018_04_01
#> 24:        oncotree_2018_03_01
#> 25:        oncotree_2018_02_01
#> 26:        oncotree_2018_01_01
#> 27:        oncotree_2017_11_01
#> 28:        oncotree_2017_10_05
#> 29:        oncotree_2017_06_21
#> 30:        oncotree_legacy_1.1
#>                 api_identifier
#>                         <char>
#>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            description
#>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 <char>
#>  1:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                This is the latest approved version for public use.
#>  2:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Stable OncoTree released on date 2025-10-03
#>  3:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Stable OncoTree released on date 2025-04-08
#>  4:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Latest OncoTree under development (subject to <b class=text-danger>change without notice</b>)
#>  5: This version of the OncoTree reflects upcoming changes which have been approved for the next public release of oncotree. It also includes a small number of nodes which will not be included in the next public release (see the news page for more details). The next public release may possibly include additional oncotree nodes, if approved.
#>  6:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Stable OncoTree released on date 2021-11-02
#>  7:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Stable OncoTree released on date 2020-10-01
#>  8:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Stable OncoTree released on date 2020-04-01
#>  9:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Stable OncoTree released on date 2020-02-06
#> 10:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Stable OncoTree released on date 2020-02-01
#> 11:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Stable OncoTree released on date 2019-12-01
#> 12:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Stable OncoTree released on date 2019-08-01
#> 13:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Stable OncoTree released on date 2019-05-01
#> 14:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Stable OncoTree released on date 2019-03-01
#> 15:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Stable OncoTree released on date 2019-02-01
#> 16:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Stable OncoTree released on date 2018-11-01
#> 17:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Stable OncoTree released on date 2018-09-01
#> 18:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Stable OncoTree released on date 2018-08-01
#> 19:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Stable OncoTree released on date 2018-07-01
#> 20:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Stable OncoTree released on date 2018-06-15
#> 21:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Stable OncoTree released on date 2018-06-01
#> 22:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Stable OncoTree released on date 2018-05-01
#> 23:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Stable OncoTree released on date 2018-04-01
#> 24:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Stable OncoTree released on date 2018-03-01
#> 25:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Stable OncoTree released on date 2018-02-01
#> 26:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Stable OncoTree released on date 2018-01-01
#> 27:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Stable OncoTree released on date 2017-11-01
#> 28:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Stable OncoTree released on date 2017-10-05
#> 29:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Stable OncoTree released on date 2017-06-21
#> 30:                                                                                                                                                                                                                  This is the closest match in TopBraid for the TumorTypes_txt file associated with release 1.1 of OncoTree (approved by committee)
#>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            description
#>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 <char>
#>     release_date visible
#>           <char>  <lgcl>
#>  1:   2025-10-03    TRUE
#>  2:   2025-10-03   FALSE
#>  3:   2025-04-08   FALSE
#>  4:   2021-11-04    TRUE
#>  5:   2021-11-03    TRUE
#>  6:   2021-11-02   FALSE
#>  7:   2020-10-01   FALSE
#>  8:   2020-04-01   FALSE
#>  9:   2020-02-06   FALSE
#> 10:   2020-02-01   FALSE
#> 11:   2019-12-01   FALSE
#> 12:   2019-08-01   FALSE
#> 13:   2019-05-01   FALSE
#> 14:   2019-03-01   FALSE
#> 15:   2019-02-01   FALSE
#> 16:   2018-11-01   FALSE
#> 17:   2018-09-01   FALSE
#> 18:   2018-08-01   FALSE
#> 19:   2018-07-01   FALSE
#> 20:   2018-06-15   FALSE
#> 21:   2018-06-01   FALSE
#> 22:   2018-05-01   FALSE
#> 23:   2018-04-01   FALSE
#> 24:   2018-03-01   FALSE
#> 25:   2018-02-01   FALSE
#> 26:   2018-01-01   FALSE
#> 27:   2017-11-01   FALSE
#> 28:   2017-10-05   FALSE
#> 29:   2017-06-21   FALSE
#> 30:   2016-03-28   FALSE
#>     release_date visible
#>           <char>  <lgcl>

Main Cancer types

The getMainCancerTypes function retrieves the main cancer types in OncoTree.

getOncotreeMainTypes()
#>                                            mainType
#>                                              <char>
#>   1:                         Adenocarcinoma In Situ
#>   2: Adenocarcinoma in Retrorectal Cystic Hamartoma
#>   3:                           Adrenal Gland Cancer
#>   4:                         Adrenocortical Adenoma
#>   5:                       Adrenocortical Carcinoma
#>  ---                                               
#> 116:                                Uterine Sarcoma
#> 117:                                 Vaginal Cancer
#> 118:                               Vulvar Carcinoma
#> 119:                          Vulvar/Vaginal Cancer
#> 120:                                    Wilms Tumor

Subtypes of a specific cancer type

The getCancerSubtypes function retrieves the subtypes of a specific cancer type.

getOncotreeTumorTypes()
#>               code     color
#>             <char>    <char>
#>   1:         LYMPH LimeGreen
#>   2:        THYMUS    Purple
#>   3:         BRAIN      Gray
#>   4: BILIARY_TRACT     Green
#>   5: ADRENAL_GLAND    Purple
#>  ---                        
#> 893:        PCALCL LimeGreen
#> 894:           LYP LimeGreen
#> 895:        BIALCL LimeGreen
#> 896:      ALCLALKP LimeGreen
#> 897:      ALCLALKN LimeGreen
#>                                                          name
#>                                                        <char>
#>   1:                                                 Lymphoid
#>   2:                                                   Thymus
#>   3:                                                CNS/Brain
#>   4:                                            Biliary Tract
#>   5:                                            Adrenal Gland
#>  ---                                                         
#> 893:         Primary Cutaneous Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma
#> 894:                                   Lymphomatoid Papulosis
#> 895: Breast Implant-Associated Anaplastic Large-Cell Lymphoma
#> 896:              Anaplastic Large-Cell Lymphoma ALK Positive
#> 897:              Anaplastic Large-Cell Lymphoma ALK Negative
#>                       mainType externalReferences  tissue      children parent
#>                         <char>             <list>  <list>        <char> <char>
#>   1:          Lymphatic Cancer           C0024202  C13252      Lymphoid TISSUE
#>   2:             Thymic Cancer           C0040113  C12433        Thymus TISSUE
#>   3:          CNS/Brain Cancer           C3714787  C12438     CNS/Brain TISSUE
#>   4:      Biliary Tract Cancer           C0005423  C12678 Biliary Tract TISSUE
#>   5:      Adrenal Gland Cancer           C0001625  C12666 Adrenal Gland TISSUE
#>  ---                                                                          
#> 893: Mature T and NK Neoplasms           C1301362   C6860      Lymphoid  PCLPD
#> 894: Mature T and NK Neoplasms           C0206182   C3721      Lymphoid  PCLPD
#> 895: Mature T and NK Neoplasms           C4528210 C139012      Lymphoid   ALCL
#> 896: Mature T and NK Neoplasms           C1332079  C37193      Lymphoid   ALCL
#> 897: Mature T and NK Neoplasms           C1332078  C37194      Lymphoid   ALCL
#>      history level revocations precursors
#>       <list> <int>      <list>     <list>
#>   1:             1                       
#>   2:             1                       
#>   3:             1                       
#>   4:             1                       
#>   5:             1                       
#>  ---                                     
#> 893:             6                       
#> 894:             6                       
#> 895:             6                       
#> 896:             6                       
#> 897:             6
sessionInfo()
#> R version 4.6.0 RC (2026-04-17 r89917)
#> Platform: x86_64-pc-linux-gnu
#> Running under: Ubuntu 24.04.4 LTS
#> 
#> Matrix products: default
#> BLAS:   /home/biocbuild/bbs-3.23-bioc/R/lib/libRblas.so 
#> LAPACK: /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/lapack/liblapack.so.3.12.0  LAPACK version 3.12.0
#> 
#> locale:
#>  [1] LC_CTYPE=en_US.UTF-8       LC_NUMERIC=C              
#>  [3] LC_TIME=en_GB              LC_COLLATE=C              
#>  [5] LC_MONETARY=en_US.UTF-8    LC_MESSAGES=en_US.UTF-8   
#>  [7] LC_PAPER=en_US.UTF-8       LC_NAME=C                 
#>  [9] LC_ADDRESS=C               LC_TELEPHONE=C            
#> [11] LC_MEASUREMENT=en_US.UTF-8 LC_IDENTIFICATION=C       
#> 
#> time zone: America/New_York
#> tzcode source: system (glibc)
#> 
#> attached base packages:
#> [1] stats     graphics  grDevices utils     datasets  methods   base     
#> 
#> other attached packages:
#> [1] data.table_1.18.2.1 AnnotationGx_0.99.5
#> 
#> loaded via a namespace (and not attached):
#>  [1] crayon_1.5.3    cli_3.6.6       knitr_1.51      rlang_1.2.0    
#>  [5] xfun_0.57       otel_0.2.0      jsonlite_2.0.0  glue_1.8.1     
#>  [9] backports_1.5.1 htmltools_0.5.9 sass_0.4.10     rappdirs_0.3.4 
#> [13] rmarkdown_2.31  evaluate_1.0.5  jquerylib_0.1.4 fastmap_1.2.0  
#> [17] yaml_2.3.12     lifecycle_1.0.5 httr2_1.2.2     memoise_2.0.1  
#> [21] compiler_4.6.0  digest_0.6.39   R6_2.6.1        curl_7.0.0     
#> [25] parallel_4.6.0  magrittr_2.0.5  bslib_0.10.0    checkmate_2.3.4
#> [29] withr_3.0.2     tools_4.6.0     cachem_1.1.0