title: Clustering of self-organizing map identifies five distinct medulloblastoma subgroups.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Medulloblastoma is one the most malignant paediatric brain tumours. Molecular subgrouping these medulloblastomas will not only help identify specific cohorts for certain treatment but also improve confidence in prognostic prediction.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Currently, there is a consensus of the existences of four distinct subtypes of medulloblastoma. We proposed a novel bioinformatics method, clustering of self-organizing map, to determine the subgroups and their molecular diversity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Microarray expression profiles of 46 medulloblastoma samples were analysed and five clusters with distinct demographics, clinical outcome and transcriptional profiles were identified.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The previously reported Wnt subgroup was identified as expected. Three other novel subgroups were proposed for later investigation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings underscore the value of SOM clustering for discovering the medulloblastoma subgroups. When the suggested subdivision has been confirmed in large cohorts, this method should serve as a part of routine classification of clinical samples.
authors.forename: Changjun
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Pucha
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D053823:Hedgehog Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008527:Medulloblastoma / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / Q000235:genetics; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: C495270:CTNNB1 protein, human; D053823:Hedgehog Proteins; C489427:MYC protein, human; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc; C509239:SHH protein, human; D051176:beta Catenin
keywords: Medulloblastoma; gene expression; self-organizing map; subgroup