Frequent hypermethylation of the DNA repair gene MGMT in long-term survivors of glioblastoma multiforme

J Neurooncol. 2007 May;83(1):91-3. doi: 10.1007/s11060-006-9292-0. Epub 2006 Dec 13.

Abstract

We have performed a methylation-specific PCR approach to comparatively analyze the MGMT promoter methylation status in 186 glioblastomas (GBM) from patients with classic survival and nine from patients with long-term survival (LTS GBM). The methylation rate in LTS GBM was significantly higher (77.8% vs. 39.2%, P = 0.033) which suggests that MGMT hypermethylation is a frequent hallmark of LTS GBM and contributes to characterize this intriguing GBM subtype.

Publication types

  • Letter

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Central Nervous System Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Central Nervous System Neoplasms / physiopathology
  • DNA Methylation*
  • DNA Modification Methylases / genetics*
  • DNA Repair Enzymes / genetics*
  • Glioblastoma / genetics*
  • Glioblastoma / physiopathology
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Survival Analysis
  • Tumor Suppressor Proteins / genetics*

Substances

  • Tumor Suppressor Proteins
  • DNA Modification Methylases
  • MGMT protein, human
  • DNA Repair Enzymes