title: Molecular studies in pediatric medulloblastomas.
abstract: Ten pediatric medulloblastoma patients were analyzed for DNA content, cell cycle, expression of drug resistance, apoptosis, cell proliferation, and N-myc genes to determine their prognostic significance. Medulloblastoma patients with progressive disease had fourth ventricle foraminal extension and larger tumors in the imaging studies. Patients with aneuploid tumors responded well to treatment regimens as compared with those with diploid tumors. Cell cycle analysis showed that the patients with progressive disease had a high S-phase fraction in the tumor cell population as compared with patients with favorable response to treatment. The correlation coefficients between Bcl-2 and MRP, Bcl-2 and Bax, p53 and p21, as well as Ki67 and PCNA were positive and significant, indicating their possible coregulated expression. The relationship between these markers indicates their relative and cumulative effect on cellular drug resistance, apoptosis, and/or cell proliferation in pediatric medulloblastomas.
authors.affiliation: Miami Children's Hospital, Research Institute, 3100 SW 62nd Avenue, Miami, FL 33155, USA. cheppail.ramachandran@mch.com
authors.forename: Cheppail
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ramachandran
authors.forename: Ziad
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Khatib
authors.forename: Enrique
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Escalon
authors.forename: Hugo B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Fonseca
authors.forename: Perseus
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jhabvala
authors.forename: L Santiago
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Medina
authors.forename: Belinda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: D'Souza
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ragheb
authors.forename: Glenn
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Morrison
authors.forename: Steven J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Melnick
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017209:Apoptosis; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002453:Cell Cycle; D002528:Cerebellar Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D016259:Genes, myc / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008527:Medulloblastoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor