Exploring genetic alterations in circulating tumor DNA from cerebrospinal fluid of pediatric medulloblastoma

Sci Rep. 2021 Mar 11;11(1):5638. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-85178-6.

Abstract

Medulloblastoma (MB) is the most common type of brain malignancy in children. Molecular profiling has become an important component to select patients for therapeutic approaches, allowing for personalized therapy. In this study, we successfully identified detectable levels of tumor-derived cell-free DNA (cfDNA) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples of patients with MB. Furthermore, cfDNA from CSF can interrogate for tumor-associated molecular clues. MB-associated alterations from CSF, tumor, and post-chemotherapy plasma were compared by deep sequencing on next-generation sequencing platform. Shared alterations exist between CSF and matched tumor tissues. More alternations were detected in circulating tumor DNA from CSF than those in genomic DNA from primary tumor. It was feasible to detect MB-associated mutations in plasma of patients treated with chemotherapy. Collectively, CSF supernatant can be used to monitor genomic alterations, as a superior technique as long as tumor-derived cfDNA can be isolated from CSF successfully.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Cerebellar Neoplasms / blood
  • Cerebellar Neoplasms / cerebrospinal fluid*
  • Cerebellar Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Child
  • Circulating Tumor DNA / blood
  • Circulating Tumor DNA / cerebrospinal fluid*
  • Circulating Tumor DNA / genetics*
  • Female
  • Genetic Variation*
  • Genome, Human
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Medulloblastoma / blood
  • Medulloblastoma / cerebrospinal fluid*
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Circulating Tumor DNA