Methylome alterations "mark" new therapeutic opportunities in glioblastoma

Abstract

In this issue of Cancer Cell, Sturm et al. report that global DNA methylation patterns in glioblastoma multiforme divide adult and pediatric tumors into subgroups that have characteristic DNA mutations, mRNA profiles, and most importantly, different clinical behaviors. These findings suggest novel opportunities for therapeutics for this dreaded disease.

Figure 1. Similar Appearances, Different Methylomes, and Divergent Outcomes

A pediatric midline GBM of the pons (a diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, left) and a hemispheric glioblastoma multiforme arising in a young adult (right) have a similar histologic appearance on high power hematoxylin and eosin photomicrographs. Yet, as demonstrated by Sturm et al. (2012) in this issue of Cancer Cell, these two tumors affect different patient populations, arise in anatomically distinct regions, have different methylation profiles, and behave differently. For both images, magnification = 200× and scale bar = 100 μM.