Diagnosis of a glioblastoma (GBM) is triggered by the onset of symptoms and is based on cerebral imaging and histological examination. Serum-based biomarkers may support detection of GBM. Here, we explored serum protein concentrations of GBM patients and used data mining to explore profiles of biomarkers and determine whether these are associated with the clinical status of the patients. Gene and protein expression data for astrocytoma and GBM were used to identify secreted proteins differently expressed in tumors and in normal brain tissues. Tumor expression and serum concentrations of 14 candidate proteins were analyzed for 23 GBM patients and nine healthy subjects. Data-mining methods involving all 14 proteins were used as an initial evaluation step to find clinically informative profiles. Data mining identified a serum protein profile formed by BMP2, HSP70, and CXCL10 that enabled correct assignment to the GBM group with specificity and sensitivity of 89 and 96%, respectively (p < 0.0001, Fischer's exact test). Survival for more than 15 months after tumor resection was associated with a profile formed by TSP1, HSP70, and IGFBP3, enabling correct assignment in all cases (p < 0.0001, Fischer's exact test). No correlation was found with tumor size or age of the patient. This study shows that robust serum profiles for GBM may be identified by data mining on the basis of a relatively small study cohort. Profiles of more than one biomarker enable more specific assignment to the GBM and survival group than those based on single proteins, confirming earlier attempts to correlate single markers with cancer. These conceptual findings will be a basis for validation in a larger sample size.

A hallmark of pediatric low-grade glioma (pLGG) is aberrant signaling of the mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. Hence, inhibition of MAPK signaling using small molecule inhibitors such as MEK inhibitors (MEKi) may be a promising strategy.

Primary brain tumors are a leading cause of cancer-related death in children, and medulloblastoma is the most common malignant pediatric brain tumor. The current molecular characterization of medulloblastoma is mainly based on protein-coding genes, while little is known about the involvement of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). This study aimed to elucidate the role of the lncRNA OTX2-AS1 in medulloblastoma.

We and others have demonstrated that MYC-amplified medulloblastoma (MB) cells are susceptible to class I histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACi) treatment. However, single drug treatment with HDACi has shown limited clinical efficacy. We hypothesized that addition of a second compound acting synergistically with HDACi may enhance efficacy.

Current evidence supports a maximized extent of resection (EOR) in low-grade gliomas (LGG), regardless of different histological subtypes and molecular markers. We therefore evaluated the prognostic impact of extensive, mainly intraoperative (i)MRI-guided surgery in low-grade astrocytomas stratified for IDH1 mutation status. Retrospective assessment of 46 consecutive cases of newly diagnosed supratentorial WHO grade II astrocytomas treated during the last decade was performed. IDH1 mutation status was obtained for all patients. Volumetric analysis of tumor volumes was performed pre-, intra-, early postoperatively and at first follow-up. Survival analysis was conducted with uni-and multivariate regression models implementing clinical parameters and continuous volumetric variables. Median EOR was 90.4 % (range 17.5-100 %) and was increased to 94.9 % (range 34.8-100 %) in iMRI-guided resections (n = 33). A greater EOR was prognostic for increased progression-free survival (HR 0.23, p = 0.031) and time to re-intervention (TTR) (HR 0.23, p = 0.03). In IDH1 mutant patients, smaller residual tumor volumes were associated with increased TTR (HR 1.01, p = 0.03). IDH1 mutation (38/46 cases) was an independent positive prognosticator for overall survival (OS) in multivariate analysis (HR 0.09, p = 0.002), while extensive surgery had limited impact upon OS. In a subgroup of patients with ≥40 % EOR (n = 39), however, initial and residual tumor volumes were prognostic for OS (HR 1.03, p = 0.005 and HR 1.08, p = 0.007, respectively), persistent to adjustment for IDH1. No association between EOR and neurologic morbidity was found. In this analysis of low-grade astrocytomas stratified for IDH1, extensive tumor resections were prognostic for progression and TTR and, in patients with ≥40 % EOR, for OS.

Although pediatric low-grade gliomas (pLGG) are the most common pediatric brain tumors, patient-derived cell lines reflecting pLGG biology in culture are scarce. This also applies to the most common pLGG subtype pilocytic astrocytoma (PA). Conventional cell culture approaches adapted from higher-grade tumors fail in PA due to oncogene-induced senescence (OIS) driving tumor cells into arrest. Here, we describe a PA modeling workflow using the Simian Virus large T antigen (SV40-TAg) to circumvent OIS.