RESUMO
INTRODUCTION: Glioblastoma and astrocytoma, grade 4, are the most common and aggressive brain tumors. Several biomarkers, such as the isocitrate dehydrogenase mutation (IDH-1), alpha-thalassemia/mental retardation, and the X-linked mutation (ATRX), enable more accurate glioma classification and facilitate patient management. This study aimed to determine the prognostic value of clinical and molecular factors (IDH, TP53, and ATRX mutations). We also studied the relationship between these molecular markers and the overall survival (OS) of 126 patients with grade 4 glioblastoma/astrocytoma. METHODS: The immunohistochemical study was conducted using antibodies namely, IDH1, R132H, p53, and ATRX. Statistical tests were used to investigate factors that might influence overall survival using IBM SPSS Statistics, version 25.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY). RESULTS: The median age at diagnosis was 51.5 years. Patients with a Karnofsky performance score (KPS) <70 presented less favorable survival outcomes compared to those with a KPS ≥70. The median OS for patients was found to be 11.17 months. Expression of IDH1 R132H was found in 13.5% of patients, p53 overexpression was identified in 55.6% of cases, and loss of ATRX expression was detected in 11.9%. The group of patients with IDH mutant/ATRX mutant/p53 wild-type had the best prognosis (OS = 27.393 months; p = 0.015). Our results were in line with previous studies. CONCLUSION: The clinical value of IDH and ATRX mutations in prognostic assessment was confirmed (p ≤0.05). The overexpression of p53 had no significant impact on OS (p = 0.726). Therefore, p53 alone cannot predict survival in glioblastoma patients. Based on the results, these biomarkers may be a potential therapeutic target to prolong patient survival, hence the need for further investigations.
RESUMO
Glioblastoma is the most aggressive malignant tumor of the central nervous system with a low survival rate. The difficulty of obtaining this tumor material represents a major limitation, making the real-time monitoring of tumor progression difficult, especially in the events of recurrence or resistance to treatment. The identification of characteristic biomarkers is indispensable for an accurate diagnosis, the rigorous follow-up of patients, and the development of new personalized treatments. Liquid biopsy, as a minimally invasive procedure, holds promise in this regard. The purpose of this paper is to summarize the current literature regarding the identification of molecular and circulating glioblastoma biomarkers and the importance of their integration as a valuable tool to improve patient care.
