Scientists from the University of California at Los Angeles, together with colleagues from Northwestern University in Chicago, have developed a new method for personalized diagnosis of brain tumors. The use of gene expression analysis will allow us to determine the degree of malignancy of the tumor and select effective treatment. Research results published In the journal Nature.
Radiation therapy is often prescribed to treat meningeal tumors that can compress adjacent brain tissue (meningoma). This is the use of a special type of electromagnetic radiation energy, or beams of elementary nuclear particles, that can destroy tumor cells or prevent them from growing and dividing. However, treatment with this technology is associated with the risk of serious side effects such as memory loss and cognitive decline. Scientists have tried to develop a diagnostic method that can accurately determine in which cases the use of radiation therapy is justified.
They suggested that screening tumors based on gene expression patterns could improve diagnostic efficiency. Depending on which genes are active in tumor cell populations, the degree of malignancy can be determined. Malignancy means the ability of tumors to recur, which is associated with a threat to life and health.
Using tissue samples from 1,856 meningioma patients, the research team identified a set of 34 genes whose expression patterns could potentially predict whether the tumor will grow after removal.
The innovative diagnostic method allowed scientists to realize that only one in five patients with low-grade tumors (less likely to grow back) needed radiation therapy. It may be unsafe to use in all other situations.
According to scientists, the new tool will increase the effectiveness of brain tumor treatment and help prevent wastage of time with inappropriate treatment strategies.
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