Emerging biomarkers in anaplastic oligodendroglioma: implications for clinical investigation and patient management

CNS Oncol. 2013 Jul;2(4):351-8. doi: 10.2217/cns.13.26.

Abstract

Oligodendrogliomas are heterogeneous tumors with a variable response to treatment. This clinical variability underlines the urgent need for markers that can reliably aid diagnosis and guide clinical decision-making. Long-term follow-up data from the EORTC 26951 and RTOG 9402 clinical trials in newly diagnosed anaplastic oligodendroglioma have established chromosome 1p19q codeletion as a predictive marker of response to procarbazine, lomustine and vincristine chemotherapy in anaplastic oligodendrogliomas. In addition, MGMT promoter hypermethylation has been strongly associated with glioma CpG island hypermethylation phenotype (G-CIMP+) status, this has been suggested as an epiphenomenon of genome-wide methylation, conferring a more favorable prognosis. Molecular profiling of these tumors has identified several other markers with potential clinical significance: mutations of IDH, CIC, FUBP1 and CDKN2A require further validation before they can be implemented as clinical decision-making tools. Additionally, recent data on the clinical significance of intrinsic glioma subtyping appears promising. Indeed, existing evidence suggests that comprehensive analyses such as intrinsic glioma subtyping or G-CIMP status are superior to single molecular markers. Clearly, with evolving treatment strategies and in the era of individualized therapy, broader omics-based molecular evaluations are required to improve outcome prediction and to identify patients who will benefit from specific treatment strategies.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Biomarkers
  • Brain Neoplasms* / diagnosis
  • Brain Neoplasms* / genetics
  • Brain Neoplasms* / therapy
  • Chromosome Deletion
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16 / genetics
  • DNA Modification Methylases / genetics
  • Disease Management*
  • Humans
  • Isocitrate Dehydrogenase / genetics
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Mutation / genetics
  • Oligodendroglioma* / diagnosis
  • Oligodendroglioma* / genetics
  • Oligodendroglioma* / therapy

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16
  • Isocitrate Dehydrogenase
  • DNA Modification Methylases