Molecular heterogeneity in glioblastoma: potential clinical implications

Nicole Renee Parker; Peter Khong; Jonathon Fergus Parkinson; Viive Maarika Howell; Helen Ruth Wheeler

doi:10.3389/fonc.2015.00055

Molecular heterogeneity in glioblastoma: potential clinical implications

Front Oncol. 2015 Mar 3:5:55. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2015.00055. eCollection 2015.

Authors

Nicole Renee Parker¹, Peter Khong¹, Jonathon Fergus Parkinson², Viive Maarika Howell¹, Helen Ruth Wheeler³

Affiliations

¹ Bill Walsh Translational Cancer Research Laboratory, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, Royal North Shore Hospital, University of Sydney , St Leonards, NSW , Australia.
² Bill Walsh Translational Cancer Research Laboratory, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, Royal North Shore Hospital, University of Sydney , St Leonards, NSW , Australia ; Department of Neurosurgery, Royal North Shore Hospital , St Leonards, NSW , Australia.
³ Bill Walsh Translational Cancer Research Laboratory, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, Royal North Shore Hospital, University of Sydney , St Leonards, NSW , Australia ; Department of Medical Oncology, Royal North Shore Hospital , St Leonards, NSW , Australia.

Abstract

Glioblastomas, (grade 4 astrocytomas), are aggressive primary brain tumors characterized by histopathological heterogeneity. High-resolution sequencing technologies have shown that these tumors also feature significant inter-tumoral molecular heterogeneity. Molecular subtyping of these tumors has revealed several predictive and prognostic biomarkers. However, intra-tumoral heterogeneity may undermine the use of single biopsy analysis for determining tumor genotype and has implications for potential targeted therapies. The clinical relevance and theories of tumoral molecular heterogeneity in glioblastoma are discussed.

Keywords: biomarkers; glioblastoma; glioma; heterogeneity; intra-tumoral heterogeneity; molecular; transcriptional subtype.

Publication types

Review