title: Neuro-oncology: Five new things.
abstract: Recent reports herald important advances in our understanding and management of gliomas. A role for alkylator chemotherapy in the management of certain high-grade gliomas has been confirmed and linked to specific, clinically ascertainable molecular markers. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy can now image 2-hydroxyglutarate, an oncometabolite restricted to the three-quarters of low-intermediate grade gliomas harboring an isocitrate dehydrogenase gene mutation; this has powerful implications for diagnosis and assessment of response to therapies. Genome-wide association studies point to several SNPs conveying increased risk of glioma; further studies of the involved genes and RNA products will enhance our understanding of glioma development. Finally, high-throughput sequencing has identified novel mutations in a histone-coding gene and in genes related to the histone complex in pediatric glioblastoma.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Neurology and Neuroscience, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schiff
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Purow