Proteomic Approaches to Study Glioma Development, Progression and Therapy

Abstract

Astrocytoma, the tumor of astrocytic origin, accounts for about 60 % of the primary brain tumors. As per World Health Organization grading system, astrocytoma is classified as circumscribed astrocytoma (Grade I; pilocytic astrocytoma) and diffusely infiltrating astrocytoma. Grade I tumor is biologically benign and can be cured by surgical resection of the tumor. The diffusely infiltrating astrocytoma is further subclassified into grade II/diffuse astrocytoma (DA), grade III/anaplastic astrocytoma (AA) and grade IV/glioblastoma (GBM). Aggressiveness of the disease increases as the tumor progresses from lower grade to higher grade. In particular, GBMs are the most malignant and aggressive human cancers. For a newly diagnosed GBM patient, the current treatment option is surgical resection of the tumor followed by radiation and temozolomide therapy. Despite the treatment is multimodal (surgery+radiation+temozolomide) the median survival of GBM patients remain very low at 14.6 months. Although numerous markers with potential utility in prognosis and treatment of GBMs have been reported, they are yet to be translated into clinical utility. Our knowledge of understanding the complete biology of GBMs needs further comprehensive studies towards the identification of markers with potential utility to prognose/treat the GBM patients efficiently. Therefore, with an immense need to develop new biomarkers/therapeutic strategies in order to improve the diagnosis, prognosis and existing treatment of the GBM, the current work is designed to study the following aspects on glioma