The Cancer Genome Atlas

 

• A novel subtype of GBM, established by TCGA, affects younger adults and has an increased survival rate. These tumors are distinguished by a methylation signature which may account for the improved survival of these patients.
• Four distinct molecular subtypes of GBM respond differently to aggressive therapies: proneural, neural, classical, and mesenchymal.
• Selective pressue to lose mismatch repair function may cause some tumors to become resistant to therapy after treatment with a standard chemotherapy called temozolomide. This finding could be used to develop new strategies  that will not activate this drug resistance mechanism.
• Alterations of the EGFR gene as well as a region on a chromosome containing MDM2 and CDK4 genes may be important to the development of GBM.
• Pinpointed five gene mutations that may provide new insights into the biology of this disease:
  • NF1, a gene identified as the cause of a rare inherited disorder called neurofibromatosis
  • ERBB2, a gene involved in breast cancer
  • TP53, a gene involved in many types of cancers
  • PIK3R1, a gene that controls an enzyme that is found in many cancers
  • TERT, a gene that encodes for an enzyme that maintains the protective structures, known as telomeres, covering the ends of chromosomes
• GBM mutations are enriched for chromatin modification genes.

Watch the video here

Main website Link

TCGA's Study of Glioblastoma Multiforme Link