title: Clinical implications of molecular neuropathology and biomarkers for malignant glioma.
abstract: Malignant gliomas are currently diagnosed based on morphological criteria and graded according to the World Health Organization classification of primary brain tumors. This algorithm of diagnosis and classification provides clinicians with an estimated prognosis of the natural course of the disease. It does not reflect the expected response to specific treatments beyond surgery (eg, radiotherapy or alkylating chemotherapy). Clinical experience has revealed that gliomas sharing similar histomorphological criteria might indeed have different clinical courses and exhibit highly heterogenous responses to treatments. This was very impressively demonstrated first for oligodendrogliomas. The presence or lack of combined deletions of the chromosomal segments 1p/19q was associated with different benefit from radiotherapy and chemotherapy. We review current molecular markers for malignant gliomas and discuss their current and future impact on clinical neuro-oncology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Hospital Zurich, Frauenklinikstrasse 26, Zurich 8091, Switzerland. ghazaleh.tabatabai@usz.ch
authors.forename: Ghazaleh
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tabatabai
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hegi
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stupp
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weller
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics*; D002878:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 1; D002888:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 19; D015254:DNA Modification Methylases / Q000235:genetics; D045643:DNA Repair Enzymes / Q000235:genetics; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000378:metabolism; D005910:Glioma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007521:Isocitrate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; D007521:Isocitrate Dehydrogenase; D015254:DNA Modification Methylases; C515491:MGMT protein, human; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D045643:DNA Repair Enzymes