Measurement Methodologies for Assessing the Glycolysis Effect in the Discrimination and Therapy of Brain Gliomas

Author(s):  
Michalis G Kounelakis ◽  
Ekaterini S Bei ◽  
Michalis E Zervakis ◽  
Georgios C Giakos ◽  
Lin Zhang ◽  
...  

Primary brain tumors refer to those developing from the various types of cells that compose the brain. Gliomas represent about 50% of all primary brain tumors and include a variety of different histological tumor types and malignancy grades. The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies gliomas into four histological types and four grades. The goal of molecular classification using advanced pattern recognition tools is to identify subgroups of tumors with distinct biological and clinical features and initiate the challenge of classifying complex gliomas of similar histology and malignancy status into distinct categories. The aim of this paper is to i) present the measurement procedures and analysis methodologies, ii) summarize the currently available knowledge related to the utilization of ’omics’ measurements in the discrimination of brain gliomas, and iii) provide a scientific basis for future medical practice in the discrimination and treatment of brain gliomas based specifically on the metabolic process of glycolysis. In particular, the paper explores the idea of the glycolysis pathway as a critical concept for the development of therapeutic strategies for brain gliomas.

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 301
Author(s):  
Fatima Ghandour ◽  
Alessio Squassina ◽  
Racha Karaky ◽  
Mona Diab-Assaf ◽  
Paola Fadda ◽  
...  

Brain tumors can present with various psychiatric symptoms, with or without neurological symptoms, an aspect that complicates the clinical picture. However, no systematic description of symptoms that should prompt a neurological investigation has been provided. This review aims to summarize available case reports describing patients with brain tumors showing psychiatric symptoms before brain tumor diagnosis, in order to provide a comprehensive description of these symptoms as well as their potential relationship with delay in the diagnosis. A systematic literature review on case reports of brain tumors and psychiatric symptoms from 1970 to 2020 was conducted on PubMed, Ovid, Psych Info, and MEDLINE. Exclusion criteria comprised tumors not included in the World Health Organization (WHO) Classification 4th edition and cases in which psychiatric symptoms were absent or followed the diagnosis. A total of 165 case reports were analyzed. In a subset of patients with brain tumors, psychiatric symptoms can be the only manifestation or precede focal neurological signs by months or even years. The appearance of focal or generalized neurological symptoms after, rather than along with, psychiatric symptoms was associated with a significant delay in the diagnosis in adults. A timely assessment of psychiatric symptoms might help to improve early diagnosis of brain tumors.


2021 ◽  
Vol 19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamed Said Boulkrane ◽  
Victoria Ilina ◽  
Roman Melchakov ◽  
Mikhail Arisov ◽  
Julia Fedotova ◽  
...  

: The World Health Organization declared the pandemic situation caused by SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2) in March 2020, but the detailed pathophysiological mechanisms of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are not yet completely understood. Therefore, to date, few therapeutic options are available for patients with mild-moderate or serious disease. In addition to systemic and respiratory symptoms, several reports have documented various neurological symptoms and impairments of mental health. The current review aims to provide the available evidence about the effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection on mental health. The present data suggest that SARS-CoV-2 produces a wide range of impairments and disorders of the brain. However, a limited number of studies investigated the neuroinvasive potential of SARS-CoV-2. Although the main features and outcomes of COVID-19 are linked to severe acute respiratory illness. The possible damages on the brain should be considered, too.


2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 85 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ugo Testa ◽  
Germana Castelli ◽  
Elvira Pelosi

Brain tumors are highly heterogeneous and have been classified by the World Health Organization in various histological and molecular subtypes. Gliomas have been classified as ranging from low-grade astrocytomas and oligodendrogliomas to high-grade astrocytomas or glioblastomas. These tumors are characterized by a peculiar pattern of genetic alterations. Pediatric high-grade gliomas are histologically indistinguishable from adult glioblastomas, but they are considered distinct from adult glioblastomas because they possess a different spectrum of driver mutations (genes encoding histones H3.3 and H3.1). Medulloblastomas, the most frequent pediatric brain tumors, are considered to be of embryonic derivation and are currently subdivided into distinct subgroups depending on histological features and genetic profiling. There is emerging evidence that brain tumors are maintained by a special neural or glial stem cell-like population that self-renews and gives rise to differentiated progeny. In many instances, the prognosis of the majority of brain tumors remains negative and there is hope that the new acquisition of information on the molecular and cellular bases of these tumors will be translated in the development of new, more active treatments.


2021 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 299-306
Author(s):  
Simona Roxana Gheorghe ◽  
Cătălin Marian ◽  
Ligia Gabriela Tătăranu ◽  
Anica Dricu ◽  
Cees Vermeer ◽  
...  

Abstract Meningiomas are classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) in three grades, based on morphological features. Independent of this grading, the presence of calcification in meningiomas influences their growth rate. The messenger RNA of matrix Gla protein (MGP), an extra-hepatic protein with different conformations involved in the homeostasis of ectopic calcification has been found in meningiomas and was shown to be regulated in breast cancer by miR-155-5p, a specific micro RNA. Therefore, we investigated the expression of miR-155-5p and its relationship with local MGP conformations in different grade meningiomas. According to the WHO classification, our 41 samples of meningiomas were stratified in groups WHO I and WHO II. Using real time polymerase chain reaction, we observed a higher miR-155-5p expression in group WHO I versus group WHO II [with a fold change (FC) of 3.83, p=0.027)]. Moreover, the expression of miR-155-5p was higher in calcified tumors compared to non-calcified tumors in all samples (FC=3.01, p=0.047) and in group WHO I (FC=3.65, p=0.048). Utilizing immunohistochemistry, we determined the concurrent presence of all MGP conformations in calcified meningiomas. This study was the first to establish higher miR-155-5p expression in grade WHO I and calcified meningiomas, which could improve molecular classification and targeted therapy and also the presence of all MGP conformations in calcified meningiomas, confirming the existence of an anti-calcification mechanism in meningiomas..


2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hong Zhu ◽  
Qianhao Fang ◽  
Hanzhi He ◽  
Junfeng Hu ◽  
Daihong Jiang ◽  
...  

Meningioma is the second most commonly encountered tumor type in the brain. There are three grades of meningioma by the standards of the World Health Organization. Preoperative grade prediction of meningioma is extraordinarily important for clinical treatment planning and prognosis evaluation. In this paper, we present a new deep learning model for assisting automatic prediction of meningioma grades to reduce the recurrence of meningioma. Our model is based on an improved LeNet-5 model of convolutional neural network (CNN) and does not require the extraction of the diseased tissue, which can greatly enhance the efficiency. To address the issue of insufficient and unbalanced clinical data of meningioma images, we use an oversampling technique which allows us to considerably improve the accuracy of classification. Experiments on large clinical datasets show that our model can achieve quite high accuracy (i.e., as high as 83.33%) for the classification of meningioma images.


Cancers ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 1262 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karisa C. Schreck ◽  
Stuart A. Grossman ◽  
Christine A. Pratilas

BRAF mutations have been identified as targetable, oncogenic mutations in many cancers. Given the paucity of treatments for primary brain tumors and the poor prognosis associated with high-grade gliomas, BRAF mutations in glioma are of considerable interest. In this review, we present the spectrum of BRAF mutations and fusion alterations present in each class of primary brain tumor based on publicly available databases and publications. We also summarize clinical experience with RAF and MEK inhibitors in patients with primary brain tumors and describe ongoing clinical trials of RAF inhibitors in glioma. Sensitivity to RAF and MEK inhibitors varies among BRAF mutations and between tumor types as only class I BRAF V600 mutations are sensitive to clinically available RAF inhibitors. While class II and III BRAF mutations are found in primary brain tumors, further research is necessary to determine their sensitivity to third-generation RAF inhibitors and/or MEK inhibitors. We recommend that the neuro-oncologist consider using these drugs primarily in the setting of a clinical trial for patients with BRAF-altered glioma in order to advance our knowledge of their efficacy in this patient population.


2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (10) ◽  
pp. 2372 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mette L. Johansen ◽  
Jason Vincent ◽  
Haley Gittleman ◽  
Sonya E. L. Craig ◽  
Marta Couce ◽  
...  

An integrated approach has been adopted by the World Health Organization (WHO) for diagnosing brain tumors. This approach relies on the molecular characterization of biopsied tissue in conjunction with standard histology. Diffuse gliomas (grade II to grade IV malignant brain tumors) have a wide range in overall survival, from months for the worst cases of glioblastoma (GBM) to years for lower grade astrocytic and oligodendroglial tumors. We previously identified a change in the cell adhesion molecule PTPmu in brain tumors that results in the generation of proteolytic fragments. We developed agents to detect this cell surface-associated biomarker of the tumor microenvironment. In the current study, we evaluated the PTPmu biomarker in tissue microarrays and individual tumor samples of adolescent and young adult (n = 25) and adult (n = 69) glioma populations using a fluorescent histochemical reagent, SBK4-TR, that recognizes the PTPmu biomarker. We correlated staining with clinical data and found that high levels of the PTPmu biomarker correlate with increased survival of glioma patients, including those with GBM. Patients with high PTPmu live for 48 months on average, whereas PTPmu low patients live only 22 months. PTPmu high staining indicates a doubling of patient survival. Use of the agent to detect the PTPmu biomarker would allow differentiation of glioma patients with distinct survival outcomes and would complement current molecular approaches used in glioma prognosis.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shannon E Fogh ◽  
Lauren Boreta ◽  
Jean L Nakamura ◽  
Derek R Johnson ◽  
Andrew S Chi ◽  
...  

Abstract Advances in treatment of oligodendroglioma represent arguably the most significant recent development in the treatment of brain tumors, with multiple clinical trials demonstrating that median survival is approximately doubled in patients with World Health Organization grade II and III 1p/19q codeleted gliomas (ie, oligodendrogliomas) treated with procarbazine, lomustine, vincristine chemotherapy and radiation vs radiation alone. However, chemoradiotherapy itself is not without morbidity, including both short-term toxicities primarily related to chemotherapy and longer-term cognitive issues likely due to radiation. Patients and physicians both desire maximally effective therapy with minimal toxicity, and it remains unclear whether some patients with macroscopic residual disease after surgery can safely delay therapy, to avoid or delay toxicity, while simultaneously preserving the full benefits of treatment. In this article, experts in the field discuss the rationale for the approaches of up-front treatment with chemoradiotherapy and initial observation, respectively.


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