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International Journal of Molecular... Oct 2023The median survival time has been reported to vary between 5 and 8 years in low-grade (WHO grade 2) astrocytoma, and between 10 and 15 years for grade 2...
The median survival time has been reported to vary between 5 and 8 years in low-grade (WHO grade 2) astrocytoma, and between 10 and 15 years for grade 2 oligodendroglioma. Targeted alpha therapy (TAT), using the modified peptide vector [Bi]Bi/[Ac]Ac-DOTA-substance P, has been developed to treat glioblastoma (GBM), a prevalent malignant brain tumor. In order to assess the risk of late neurotoxicity, assuming that reduced tumor cell proliferation and invasion should directly translate into good responses in low-grade gliomas (LGGs), a limited number of patients with diffuse invasive astrocytoma (n = 8) and oligodendroglioma (n = 3) were offered TAT. In two oligodendroglioma patients, TAT was applied as a second-line treatment for tumor progression, 10 years after targeted beta therapy using [Y]Y-DOTA-substance P. The radiopharmaceutical was locally injected directly into the tumor via a stereotactic insertion of a capsule-catheter system. The activity used for radiolabeling was 2-2.5 GBq of Bismuth-213 and 17 to 35 MBq of Actinium-225, mostly applied in a single fraction. The recurrence-free survival times were in the range of 2 to 16 years (median 11 years) in low-grade astrocytoma (n = 8), in which TAT was administered following a biopsy or tumor debulking. Regarding oligodendroglioma, the recurrence-free survival time was 24 years in the first case treated, and 4 and 5 years in the two second-line cases. In conclusion, TAT leads to long-term tumor control in the majority of patients with LGG, and recurrence has so far not manifested in patients with low-grade (grade 2) astrocytomas who received TAT as a first-line therapy. We conclude that targeted alpha therapy has the potential to become a new treatment paradigm in LGG.
Topics: Humans; Oligodendroglioma; Substance P; Glioma; Astrocytoma; Glioblastoma; Brain Neoplasms
PubMed: 37958683
DOI: 10.3390/ijms242115701 -
Journal of Cancer Research and... 2022Malignant transformation (MT) of low-grade astrocytoma (LGA) produces a poor prognosis in benign tumors. Currently, variables linked with MT of LGA have proven...
BACKGROUND
Malignant transformation (MT) of low-grade astrocytoma (LGA) produces a poor prognosis in benign tumors. Currently, variables linked with MT of LGA have proven equivocal. The present study aims to evaluate the risk variables, indicating that LGA gradually differentiates to malignant astrocytoma.
METHODS
Retrospective cohort analysis of LGA patients was performed. Both univariate and multivariate studies were used to discover variables connected to MT using the Cox regression method. As a result, the cumulative incidence of MT for each covariate survival curve was built after the final model.
RESULTS
In the current study, 115 individuals with LGA were included in the analysis, and MT was found in 16.5% of cases. In the case of MT, 68.4% of patients progressed to glioblastoma, whereas 31.6% progressed to anaplastic astrocytoma. Significant factors included supratentorial tumor (hazard ratio (HR) 3.41, 95% CI 1.18-12.10), midline shift > 5 mm (HR 7.15, 95% CI 2.28-34.33), and non-total resection as follows: subtotal resection (HR 5.09, 95% CI 0.07-24.02), partial resection (HR 1.61, 95% CI 1.09-24.11), and biopsy (HR 2.80, 95% CI 1.18-32.52).
CONCLUSION
In individuals with LGA, MT dramatically altered the disease's natural history to a poor prognosis. The present study's analysis of the clinical features of patients indicated supratentorial LGA, a midline shift greater than 5 mm, and the degree of resection as risk factors for MT. The more extensive the resection, the greater the reduction in tumor load and MT. In addition, more molecular study is necessary to elucidate the pathophysiology of MT.
Topics: Humans; Retrospective Studies; Brain Neoplasms; Astrocytoma; Glioblastoma; Cell Transformation, Neoplastic
PubMed: 36412420
DOI: 10.4103/jcrt.JCRT_1469_20 -
Modern Pathology : An Official Journal... Jul 2021WHO 2016 classified glioblastomas into IDH-mutant and IDH-wildtype with the former having a better prognosis but there was no study on IDH-mutant primary glioblastomas...
WHO 2016 classified glioblastomas into IDH-mutant and IDH-wildtype with the former having a better prognosis but there was no study on IDH-mutant primary glioblastomas only, as previous series included secondary glioblastomas. We recruited a series of 67 IDH-mutant primary glioblastomas/astrocytoma IV without a prior low-grade astrocytoma and examined them using DNA-methylation profiling, targeted sequencing, RNA sequencing and TERT promoter sequencing, and correlated the molecular findings with clinical parameters. The median OS of 39.4 months of 64 cases and PFS of 25.9 months of 57 cases were better than the survival data of IDH-wildtype glioblastomas and IDH-mutant secondary glioblastomas retrieved from datasets. The molecular features often seen in glioblastomas, such as EGFR amplification, combined +7/-10, and TERT promoter mutations were only observed in 6/53 (11.3%), 4/53 (7.5%), and 2/67 (3.0%) cases, respectively, and gene fusions were found only in two cases. The main mechanism for telomere maintenance appeared to be alternative lengthening of telomeres as ATRX mutation was found in 34/53 (64.2%) cases. In t-SNE analyses of DNA-methylation profiles, with an exceptional of one case, a majority of our cases clustered to IDH-mutant high-grade astrocytoma subclass (40/53; 75.5%) and the rest to IDH-mutant astrocytoma subclass (12/53; 22.6%). The latter was also enriched with G-CIMP high cases (12/12; 100%). G-CIMP-high status and MGMT promoter methylation were independent good prognosticators for OS (p = 0.022 and p = 0.002, respectively) and TP53 mutation was an independent poor prognosticator (p = 0.013) when correlated with other clinical parameters. Homozygous deletion of CDKN2A/B was not correlated with OS (p = 0.197) and PFS (p = 0.278). PDGFRA amplification or mutation was found in 16/59 (27.1%) of cases and was correlated with G-CIMP-low status (p = 0.010). Aside from the three well-known pathways of pathogenesis in glioblastomas, chromatin modifying and mismatch repair pathways were common aberrations (88.7% and 20.8%, respectively), the former due to high frequency of ATRX involvement. We conclude that IDH-mutant primary glioblastomas have better prognosis than secondary glioblastomas and have major molecular differences from other commoner glioblastomas. G-CIMP subgroups, MGMT promoter methylation, and TP53 mutation are useful prognostic adjuncts.
Topics: Adult; Astrocytoma; Brain Neoplasms; DNA Mutational Analysis; Female; Glioblastoma; Humans; Isocitrate Dehydrogenase; Male; Middle Aged; Mutation; Prognosis
PubMed: 33692446
DOI: 10.1038/s41379-021-00778-x -
Cancer Reports (Hoboken, N.J.) Mar 2022Pilocytic astrocytoma is the most common brain tumour type in childhood located in the posterior fossa, and treated mainly with surgery. These tumours have low...
BACKGROUND
Pilocytic astrocytoma is the most common brain tumour type in childhood located in the posterior fossa, and treated mainly with surgery. These tumours have low mortality, but knowledge concerning its long-term outcome is sparse.
AIM
The aim of this study was to investigate whether children treated for pilocytic astrocytoma in the posterior fossa had late complications affecting cognition, language and learning.
METHODS
This descriptive single-centre study includes eight children and 12 adults treated as children for pilocytic astrocytoma in the posterior fossa, with a mean follow-up time of 12.4 (range 5-19) years. Well-established tests of intelligence, executive, language and academic function were used.
RESULTS
Intelligence tests showed average results compared with norms. Five patients scored <-1 SD (70-84) and 3 low average (85-92) on full scale IQ. The patients scored average on subtests regarding executive function, except for significantly lower results in inhibition/switching (p = .004). In Rey complex figure test half of the patients scored below -1 SD. Language tests were normal except for significantly lower results in naming ability (p = .049) and in inference (p = .046). In academic tests, results were average, except for significantly lower results in reading speed (p = .024). Patients with learning difficulties performed worse in the tests.
CONCLUSIONS
The patients' functional outcome was favourable but, a not-negligible part of the patients displayed neurocognitive difficulties as revealed by extensive neuro-cognitive and academic testing. Thus, it is important to identify those in need of more thorough cognitive and pedagogic follow-up programmes, including school interventions.
Topics: Astrocytoma; Brain Neoplasms; Child; Cognition; Cognition Disorders; Humans; Language; Young Adult
PubMed: 34231973
DOI: 10.1002/cnr2.1494 -
European Journal of Medical Genetics Jan 2020Mutations in LZTR1, already known to be causal in familial schwannomatosis type 2, have been recently involved in a small proportion of patients with autosomal dominant...
Mutations in LZTR1, already known to be causal in familial schwannomatosis type 2, have been recently involved in a small proportion of patients with autosomal dominant and autosomal recessive Noonan syndrome. LZTR1 is also a driver gene in non syndromal glioblastoma. We report a 26-year-old patient with typical Noonan syndrome, and the dominantly transmitted c.850C > T (p.(Arg284Cys)) variant in LZTR1. An oligoastrocytoma was diagnosed in the patient at the age of 22 years; recurrence of the tumor occurred at age 26, as a ganglioblastoma. The patient had been transiently treated with growth hormone between ages 15 and 17. Considering the implication of LZTR1 in sporadic tumors of the nervous system, we hypothesize that gliomas are a possible complication of LZTR1-related Noonan syndrome. This report also supports a possible link between occurrence of a cerebral tumor in Noonan syndrome and a previous treatment with growth hormone.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Astrocytoma; Female; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Glioblastoma; Humans; Male; Mutation; Noonan Syndrome; Pedigree; Transcription Factors
PubMed: 30664951
DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmg.2019.01.007 -
Journal of Neuro-oncology Dec 2023Although pediatric low-grade gliomas (pLGG) are the most common pediatric brain tumors, patient-derived cell lines reflecting pLGG biology in culture are scarce. This...
PURPOSE
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.
METHODS
18 pLGG tissue samples (17 (94%) histological and/or molecular diagnosis PA) were mechanically dissociated. Tumor cell positive-selection using A2B5 was perfomed in 8/18 (44%) cases. All primary cell suspensions were seeded in Neural Stem Cell Medium (NSM) and Astrocyte Basal Medium (ABM). Resulting short-term cultures were infected with SV40-TAg lentivirus. Detection of tumor specific alterations (BRAF-duplication and BRAF V600E-mutation) by digital droplet PCR (ddPCR) at defined time points allowed for determination of tumor cell fraction (TCF) and evaluation of the workflow. DNA-methylation profiling and gene-panel sequencing were used for molecular profiling of primary samples.
RESULTS
Primary cell suspensions had a mean TCF of 55% (+/- 23% (SD)). No sample in NSM (0/18) and ten samples in ABM (10/18) were successfully transduced. Three of these ten (30%) converted into long-term pLGG cell lines (TCF 100%), while TCF declined to 0% (outgrowth of microenvironmental cells) in 7/10 (70%) cultures. Young patient age was associated with successful model establishment.
CONCLUSION
A subset of primary PA cultures can be converted into long-term cell lines using SV40-TAg depending on sample intrinsic (patient age) and extrinsic workflow-related (e.g. type of medium, successful transduction) parameters. Careful monitoring of sample-intrinsic and extrinsic factors optimizes the process.
Topics: Child; Humans; Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf; Workflow; Astrocytoma; Glioma; Brain Neoplasms
PubMed: 37999877
DOI: 10.1007/s11060-023-04500-6 -
Neuropathology and Applied Neurobiology Dec 2022Anaplastic ganglioglioma is a rare tumour, and diagnosis has been based on histological criteria. The 5th edition of the World Health Organization Classification of...
AIMS
Anaplastic ganglioglioma is a rare tumour, and diagnosis has been based on histological criteria. The 5th edition of the World Health Organization Classification of Tumours of the Central Nervous System (CNS WHO) does not list anaplastic ganglioglioma as a distinct diagnosis due to lack of molecular data in previous publications. We retrospectively compiled a cohort of 54 histologically diagnosed anaplastic gangliogliomas to explore whether the molecular profiles of these tumours represent a separate type or resolve into other entities.
METHODS
Samples were subjected to histological review, desoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) methylation profiling and next-generation sequencing. Morphological and molecular data were summarised to an integrated diagnosis.
RESULTS
The majority of tumours designated as anaplastic gangliogliomas resolved into other CNS WHO diagnoses, most commonly pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma (16/54), glioblastoma, isocitrate dehydrogenase protein (IDH) wild type and diffuse paediatric-type high-grade glioma, H3 wild type and IDH wild type (11 and 2/54), followed by low-grade glial or glioneuronal tumours including pilocytic astrocytoma, dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumour and diffuse leptomeningeal glioneuronal tumour (5/54), IDH mutant astrocytoma (4/54) and others (6/54). A subset of tumours (10/54) was not assignable to a CNS WHO diagnosis, and common molecular profiles pointing to a separate entity were not evident.
CONCLUSIONS
In summary, we show that tumours histologically diagnosed as anaplastic ganglioglioma comprise a wide spectrum of CNS WHO tumour types with different prognostic and therapeutic implications. We therefore suggest assigning this designation with caution and recommend comprehensive molecular workup.
Topics: Child; Humans; Ganglioglioma; Retrospective Studies; Glioma; Astrocytoma; Brain Neoplasms; Central Nervous System Neoplasms; Isocitrate Dehydrogenase
PubMed: 35977725
DOI: 10.1111/nan.12847 -
International Journal of Molecular... Dec 2022Glioblastoma (GB) is a primary malignancy of the central nervous system that is classified by the WHO as a grade IV astrocytoma. Despite decades of research, several... (Review)
Review
Glioblastoma (GB) is a primary malignancy of the central nervous system that is classified by the WHO as a grade IV astrocytoma. Despite decades of research, several aspects about the biology of GB are still unclear. Its pathogenesis and resistance mechanisms are poorly understood, and methods to optimize patient diagnosis and prognosis remain a bottle neck owing to the heterogeneity of the malignancy. The field of omics has recently gained traction, as it can aid in understanding the dynamic spatiotemporal regulatory network of enzymes and metabolites that allows cancer cells to adjust to their surroundings to promote tumor development. In combination with other omics techniques, proteomic and metabolomic investigations, which are a potent means for examining a variety of metabolic enzymes as well as intermediate metabolites, might offer crucial information in this area. Therefore, this review intends to stress the major contribution these tools have made in GB clinical and preclinical research and highlights the crucial impacts made by the integrative "omics" approach in reducing some of the therapeutic challenges associated with GB research and treatment. Thus, our study can purvey the use of these powerful tools in research by serving as a hub that particularly summarizes studies employing metabolomics and proteomics in the realm of GB diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis.
Topics: Humans; Proteomics; Glioblastoma; Metabolomics; Astrocytoma
PubMed: 36613792
DOI: 10.3390/ijms24010348 -
Cancer Biology & Medicine Nov 2022IDH-mutant lower-grade gliomas (LGGs, grade 2 or 3) eventually transform into secondary grade 4 astrocytomas (sA). Here, we sought to describe the transformation time,...
OBJECTIVE
IDH-mutant lower-grade gliomas (LGGs, grade 2 or 3) eventually transform into secondary grade 4 astrocytomas (sA). Here, we sought to describe the transformation time, risk factors, and outcomes in malignant transformation of IDH-mutant LGGs.
METHODS
We screened data for 108 patients with sA in the Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas who had initial IDH-mutant LGGs and underwent reoperation during 2005-2021. We evaluated the transformation time from IDH-mutant LGGs to sA, and associated risk factors and outcomes. Malignant transformation was defined as pathological confirmation of grade 4 astrocytoma.
RESULTS
The median age of the 108 patients with IDH-mutant LGGs was 35 years (range, 19-54); the median age at transformation was 40 years (range, 25-62); and the median follow-up time for all patients was 146 months (range, 121-171). The average transformation time was 58.8 months for all patients with LGGs (range, 5.9-208.1); 63.5 and 51.9 months for grade 2 and 3 gliomas, respectively; and 58.4 and 78.1 months for IDH-mutant/1p/19q-non-codeleted astrocytomas and IDH-mutant/1p/19q-codeleted oligodendrogliomas, respectively. Univariate and multivariate analysis indicated that radiotherapy [hazard ratio (HR), 0.29; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.137-0.595; = 0.001] and non-A blood type (HR, 0.37; 95% CI, 0.203-0.680; = 0.001) were protective factors against delayed malignant transformation. Radiotherapy was associated with improved survival after transformation (HR, 0.44; 95% CI, 0.241-0.803; = 0.008), overall survival (HR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.265-0.972; = 0.041), and progression-free survival (HR, 0.25; 95% CI, 0.133-0.479; < 0.0001) in patients with IDH-mutant gliomas.
CONCLUSIONS
Radiotherapy is associated with delayed malignant transformation and improved survival in patients with IDH-mutant gliomas.
Topics: Humans; Young Adult; Adult; Middle Aged; Isocitrate Dehydrogenase; Brain Neoplasms; Glioma; Oligodendroglioma; Astrocytoma; Glioblastoma; Cell Transformation, Neoplastic
PubMed: 36350001
DOI: 10.20892/j.issn.2095-3941.2022.0472 -
Medicine Jun 2023The ubiquitin-proteasome pathway controls the monitoring and degradation of important proteins and is involved in several cellular processes, such as development,...
BACKGROUND
The ubiquitin-proteasome pathway controls the monitoring and degradation of important proteins and is involved in several cellular processes, such as development, differentiation, and transcriptional regulation. Recent evidence has shown that ubiquitin carboxy-terminal hydrolase-L1 (UCH-L1), a member of the deubiquitinating enzyme family that removes ubiquitin from protein substrates, is overexpressed in many types of cancer.
AIM
This study thus examined the expression of UCH-L1 in human astrocytoma tissues.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded astrocytoma samples were obtained from 40 patients, after which histopathological examination, typing, and grading were performed. The study group included 10 histologically normal brain tissues, which served as the control group, and 10 WHO grade II, 10 WHO grade III, and 10 WHO grade IV (glioblastoma) samples. Normal brain tissue samples were obtained from the histologically normal, non-tumoral portion of the pathology specimens. UCH-L1 expression was evaluated using quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry.
RESULTS
Astrocytoma tissues exhibited higher UCH-L1 expression compared to the control group. UCH-L1 overexpression increased significantly together with the increase in astrocytoma grades (from II to IV).
CONCLUSION
UCH-L1 could be a good diagnostic and therapeutic marker for determining astrocytoma development and progression.
Topics: Humans; Ubiquitin Thiolesterase; Astrocytoma; Glioblastoma; Brain; Ubiquitin
PubMed: 37390278
DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000034132