Cancer genes and proteins

Filter the full table →

1,447 genes and proteins the open catalogues tie to cancer, each with its own page, registry identifiers and the sources it was read from, grouped here by what they do and by how strong the evidence is. 1,442 were written from the catalogues on 2026-09-23; 190 older target pages carry no role yet.

Sources and licences

The gene list is the union of three open catalogues: CIViC (community-curated clinical interpretations of variants, CC0), Open Targets (targets associated with cancer, MONDO_0004992, by direct and indirect evidence at a stated score, CC0) and IntOGen (drivers called by mutation analysis of patient cohorts, release 2024-09-20, CC0 1.0). Identifiers and aliases come from HGNC; the plain-English function text is UniProt's (CC BY 4.0), condensed and put into UK spelling, not rewritten. No licensed list (OncoKB, COSMIC) was used. Cancers are linked only where a catalogue ties the gene to a cancer that has an OnCo page; disease names that map to nothing are kept in each record's notes rather than guessed. Roles and evidence tiers are derived from the catalogue fields named on every page, and each page ends with a Sources line.

Machine-readable: all targets as JSON (fields role, evidenceTier, sources, hgnc, ensembl, uniprot, entrez) · CSV · field definitions · rebuilt by scripts/fetch-cancer-genes.ts.

By evidence tier

219

Approved drug

A drug acting on the target has reached late-stage trials or approval for a cancer.

507

Clinical evidence

Clinical evidence items on its variants, or a drug in early trials, but nothing approved.

332

Driver by cohort analysis

Called a driver by cohort mutation analysis; no clinical evidence yet.

389

Association only

Association with cancer in the aggregated evidence, without a proven role.

By role

All roles1,447 Drug target537 Oncogene driver387 Tumour suppressor389 Biomarker or prognostic gene492 Fusion partner167 DNA repair106 Antigen5

All evidence1,447 Approved drug219 Clinical evidence507 Driver by cohort analysis332 Association only389

Drug target 537

Open in the table →

A drug in trials or on the market acts on the protein (Open Targets known-drug evidence, CIViC therapies, or an OnCo product record that names it).

Approved drug 219 Clinical evidence 315 Association only 3

(showing the first 30)

Oncogene driver 387

Open in the table →

Mutation analysis of patient cohorts finds the gene activated more often than chance allows (IntOGen role Act).

Approved drug 19 Clinical evidence 159 Driver by cohort analysis 209

(showing the first 30)

Tumour suppressor 389

Open in the table →

Mutation analysis of patient cohorts finds the gene knocked out more often than chance allows (IntOGen role LoF).

Approved drug 19 Clinical evidence 153 Driver by cohort analysis 217

(showing the first 30)

Biomarker or prognostic gene 492

Open in the table →

Curated clinical evidence ties its variants to diagnosis, prognosis or drug response (CIViC evidence items).

Approved drug 39 Clinical evidence 453

(showing the first 30)

Fusion partner 167

Open in the table →

UniProt records a chromosomal translocation or gene fusion involving the gene.

Approved drug 10 Clinical evidence 33 Driver by cohort analysis 71 Association only 53

(showing the first 30)

DNA repair 106

Open in the table →

UniProt keyword DNA repair or DNA damage: the protein keeps the genome intact, which is why its loss sensitises tumours to some drugs.

Approved drug 16 Clinical evidence 51 Driver by cohort analysis 7 Association only 32

(showing the first 30)

Antigen 5

Open in the table →

A membrane or secreted protein that antibody-based products (ADCs, bispecifics, CAR-T, radioligands) use as a docking site.

Approved drug 3 Clinical evidence 2

Each role above lists its first 30 genes and fetches the rest as you scroll, press Show more or set a filter. All 1,447 genes as JSON (symbol, page, roles, evidence tier, in the order shown) · full target records · API