title: Pediatric brain tumors: genetics and clinical outcome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In this paper the authors' goal was to investigate the genetic characteristics of primary brain tumors in children and determine their influence on clinical outcome.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors performed high-resolution comparative genomic hybridization studies in 14 low-grade and 12 high-grade brain neoplasms in 26 children who underwent surgery between 2005 and 2007.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Complex comparative genomic hybridization alterations were observed in 2 (14.3%) of the 14 lowgrade lesions and in 8 (66.6%) of the 12 high-grade lesions. High-level amplifications of DNA were detected in 3 cases, namely in a desmoplastic medulloblastoma where a c-Myc amplification was found. Gains of 1q were detected in 2 low-grade and 6 high-grade lesions that were classified as ependymomas, astrocytomas, oligodendrogliomas, oligoastrocytomas, and gangliogliomas. When the authors correlated genetics with outcome, they noted that among the low-grade neoplasms only the 2 patients who presented with complex comparative genomic hybridization alterations had to undergo reoperation because of recurrent disease. The patient with c-Myc amplification died of progressive disease. Gains of 1q were only observed in tumor cases with progressive disease.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Complex genetic alterations are indicative of a less favorable outcome in low-grade tumors. In these cases, closer follow-up should be pursued. The authors corroborate that c-Myc amplification is a marker of poor prognosis in medulloblastomas. In this study, they were able to verify that a 1q gain correlates with a poor clinical outcome, independent of tumor grade and histological type. The authors propose that it may be considered a common marker of poor prognosis in these neoplasms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Hospital de Santa Maria, Lisbon, Portugal.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Faria
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Miguéns
authors.forename: João Lobo
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Antunes
authors.forename: Duarte
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Salgado
authors.forename: Sofia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nunes
authors.forename: Cândida
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Barroso
authors.forename: Maria do Carmo
authors.initials: Mdo C
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.forename: Vasco Moura
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Nunes
authors.forename: Lúcia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Roque
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D015331:Cohort Studies; D055028:Comparative Genomic Hybridization; D005260:Female; D005910:Glioma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome