https://api.gdc.cancer.gov
No auth for public data. Token needed only for controlled-access downloads.
All search endpoints accept GET or POST (POST preferred for complex filters).
| Endpoint | Description |
|---|---|
/projects |
List/filter cancer projects (e.g. TCGA-BRCA) |
/cases |
Search cases (patients/samples) |
/files |
Search/filter files (BAM, VCF, expression) |
/genes |
Search gene-level data |
/ssms |
Search simple somatic mutations |
/ssm_occurrences |
Mutation occurrences across cases |
/files/{uuid} |
File metadata by UUID |
/data/{uuid} |
Download file by UUID |
{
"filters": {
"op": "in",
"content": {"field": "cases.project.project_id", "value": ["TCGA-BRCA"]}
},
"fields": "file_id,file_name,data_type",
"format": "JSON",
"size": 10
}
Operators: in, =, !=, >, <, >=, <=, is, not, and, or
# List projects
https://api.gdc.cancer.gov/projects?size=5&fields=project_id,name,primary_site
# BRCA1 mutations (POST)
curl -X POST https://api.gdc.cancer.gov/ssms \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"filters":{"op":"in","content":{"field":"consequence.transcript.gene.symbol","value":["BRCA1"]}},"fields":"ssm_id,genomic_dna_change","size":5}'
# Cases in TCGA-LUAD
https://api.gdc.cancer.gov/cases?filters=%7B%22op%22%3A%22in%22%2C%22content%22%3A%7B%22field%22%3A%22project.project_id%22%2C%22value%22%3A%5B%22TCGA-LUAD%22%5D%7D%7D&size=3&fields=submitter_id,disease_type
from (offset) and size (limit, max 10000). Default size is 10.
No strict limit for metadata queries. Use GDC Transfer Tool for bulk file downloads.