title: Molecular biology of high-grade gliomas: what should the clinician know?
abstract: The current World Health Organization classification system of primary brain tumors is solely based on morphologic criteria. However, there is accumulating evidence that tumors with similar histology have distinct molecular signatures that significantly impact treatment response and survival. Recent practice-changing clinical trials have defined a role for routine assessment of O-6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) promoter methylation in glioblastoma patients, especially in the elderly, and 1p and 19q codeletions in patients with anaplastic glial tumors. Recently discovered molecular alterations including mutations in IDH-1/2, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and BRAF also have the potential to become targets for future drug development. This article aims to summarize current knowledge on the molecular biology of high-grade gliomas relevant to daily practice.
authors: Department of Medical Oncology, University Hospital Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland. silvia.hofer@usz.ch.
authors: Silvia
authors: S
authors: Hofer
authors: Elisabeth
authors: E
authors: Rushing
authors: Matthias
authors: M
authors: Preusser
authors: Christine
authors: C
authors: Marosi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002872:Chromosome Deletion; D019175:DNA Methylation; D015254:DNA Modification Methylases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D045643:DNA Repair Enzymes / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000378:metabolism; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005910:Glioma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007521:Isocitrate Dehydrogenase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D009837:Oligodendroglioma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D017354:Point Mutation; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; C410723:epidermal growth factor receptor VIII; C538784:IDH2 protein, human; D007521:Isocitrate Dehydrogenase; C543588:IDH1 protein, human; D015254:DNA Modification Methylases; C515491:MGMT protein, human; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D045643:DNA Repair Enzymes