title: Molecular biology of medulloblastoma therapy.
abstract: Molecular biological studies have created a new understanding of medulloblastomas, revealing key cell signaling pathways that promote tumor growth. These studies have identified molecular markers that can serve as prognostic indicators and which will provide therapeutic targets in the very near future. In contrast to conventional histological techniques, molecular biological methods are designed to detect highly unstable molecules degraded by conventional tissue collection and fixation protocols. Consequently, a new approach to tissue collection is required for molecular analysis as we enter the next era of brain tumor therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Enders 260, Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA. scott.pomeroy@childrens.harvard.edu
authors.forename: Scott L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Pomeroy
authors.forename: Lisa-Marie
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Sturla
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008527:Medulloblastoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D017978:Receptors, Growth Factor / Q000502:physiology; D018570:Risk Assessment
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D006133:Growth Substances; D017978:Receptors, Growth Factor