Abstract
INTRODUCTION
The next generation of clinical trials for relapsed medulloblastoma demands a thorough understanding of the clinical behavior of relapsed tumors as well as the molecular relationship to their diagnostic counterparts.
METHODS
A multi-institutional molecular cohort of patient-matched (n=126 patients) diagnostic MBs and relapses/subsequent malignancies was profiled by DNA methylation array. Entity, subgroup classification, and genome-wide copy-number aberrations were assigned while parallel next-generation (whole-exome or targeted panel) sequencing on the majority of the cohort facilitated inference of somatic driver mutations.
RESULTS
Comprised of WNT (2%), SHH (41%), Group 3 (18%), Group 4 (39%), primary tumors retained subgroup affiliation at relapse with the notable exception of 10% of cases. The majority (8/13) of discrepant classifications were determined to be secondary glioblastomas. Additionally, rare (n=3) subgroup-switching events of Group 4 primary tumors to Group 3 relapses were identified coincident with MYC/MYCN pathway alterations. Amongst truly relapsing MBs, copy-number analyses suggest somatic clonal divergence between primary MBs and their respective relapses with Group 3 (55% of alterations shared) and Group 4 tumors (63% alterations shared) sharing a larger proportion of cytogenetic alterations compared to SHH tumors (42% alterations shared; Chi-square p-value < 0.001). Subgroup- and gene-specific patterns of conservation and divergence amongst putative driver genes were also observed.
CONCLUSION
Integrated molecular analysis of relapsed MB discloses potential mechanisms underlying treatment failure and disease recurrence while motivating rational implementation of relapse-specific therapies. The degree of genetic divergence between primary and relapsed MBs varied by subgroup but suggested considerably higher conservation than prior estimates.