title: The biologic era of childhood medulloblastoma and clues to novel therapies.
abstract: Currently, the treatment of childhood medulloblastoma (MB) is tailored to risk groups defined by clinical parameters. Growing evidence of tumoral heterogeneity is apparent as response remains varied and unpredictable based on current treatment strategies, indicating the lack of understanding of the elusive biology that drives oncogenesis of these tumors. Advances in genomic technologies are revealing newer insights into the molecular pathogenesis of MB. Utilization of the genomic machinery has enabled the definition of new molecular markers and signaling pathways, resulting in a paradigm shift in the classification of childhood MB. Recent focus into the postgenomic era has revealed varied perturbations in the epigenetic machinery in these subtypes as likely predictive biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets. Ahead lies the task and challenge in the ability to comprehensively evaluate all these data, which could provide clues to profile the next-generation clinical trials combining conventional with molecularly targeted novel therapies.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Neuro-Oncology, Children's Cancer Hospital, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Unit 87, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Soumen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Khatua
authors.forename: Wafik
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zaky
mesh_terms: D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002528:Cerebellar Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D023281:Genomics; D006801:Humans; D008527:Medulloblastoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology*; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D015398:Signal Transduction