Clinical utility of whole-genome DNA methylation profiling as a primary molecular diagnostic assay for central nervous system tumors-A prospective study and guidelines for clinical testing
Author Department
Pathology
Document Type
Article, Peer-reviewed
Publication Date
6-2023
Abstract
Background: Central nervous system (CNS) cancer is the 10th leading cause of cancer-associated deaths for adults, but the leading cause in pediatric patients and young adults. The variety and complexity of histologic subtypes can lead to diagnostic errors. DNA methylation is an epigenetic modification that provides a tumor type-specific signature that can be used for diagnosis.
Methods: We performed a prospective study using DNA methylation analysis as a primary diagnostic method for 1921 brain tumors. All tumors received a pathology diagnosis and profiling by whole genome DNA methylation, followed by next-generation DNA and RNA sequencing. Results were stratified by concordance between DNA methylation and histopathology, establishing diagnostic utility.
Results: Of the 1602 cases with a World Health Organization histologic diagnosis, DNA methylation identified a diagnostic mismatch in 225 cases (14%), 78 cases (5%) did not classify with any class, and in an additional 110 (7%) cases DNA methylation confirmed the diagnosis and provided prognostic information. Of 319 cases carrying 195 different descriptive histologic diagnoses, DNA methylation provided a definitive diagnosis in 273 (86%) cases, separated them into 55 methylation classes, and changed the grading in 58 (18%) cases.
Conclusions: DNA methylation analysis is a robust method to diagnose primary CNS tumors, improving diagnostic accuracy, decreasing diagnostic errors and inconclusive diagnoses, and providing prognostic subclassification. This study provides a framework for inclusion of DNA methylation profiling as a primary molecular diagnostic test into professional guidelines for CNS tumors. The benefits include increased diagnostic accuracy, improved patient management, and refinements in clinical trial design.
Keywords: DNA methylation; central nervous system tumors; guidelines; molecular; tumor classification.
Recommended Citation
Galbraith K, Vasudevaraja V, Serrano J, Shen G, Tran I, Abdallat N, Wen M, Patel S, Movahed-Ezazi M, Faustin A, Spino-Keeton M, Roberts LG, Maloku E, Drexler SA, Liechty BL, Pisapia D, Krasnozhen-Ratush O, Rosenblum M, Shroff S, Boué DR, Davidson C, Mao Q, Suchi M, North P, Hopp A, Segura A, Jarzembowski JA, Parsons L, Johnson MD, Mobley B, Samore W, McGuone D, Gopal PP, Canoll PD, Horbinski C, Fullmer JM, Farooqui MS, Gokden M, Wadhwani NR, Richardson TE, Umphlett M, Tsankova NM, DeWitt JC, Sen C, Placantonakis DG, Pacione D, Wisoff JH, Teresa Hidalgo E, Harter D, William CM, Cordova C, Kurz SC, Barbaro M, Orringer DA, Karajannis MA, Sulman EP, Gardner SL, Zagzag D, Tsirigos A, Allen JC, Golfinos JG, Snuderl M. Clinical utility of whole-genome DNA methylation profiling as a primary molecular diagnostic assay for central nervous system tumors-A prospective study and guidelines for clinical testing. Neurooncol Adv. 2023 Jun 26;5(1):vdad076. doi: 10.1093/noajnl/vdad076.
PMID
37476329