Using survival data from this unique patient cohort, the authors found that recurrence-free survival time was significantly related to WHO grade (p = 0.002), but overall survival time was not significantly linked to any of the potential prognostic factors considered in this study (p = 0.06).

Many patients with PTMC had clinical and histopathological poor prognostic factors. The expression of molecular markers, such as EGFR and COX-2, may have a role in the prognosis of PTMC. When considering all of the prognostic factors, a more tailored management approach appears to be necessary for patients with PTMC.

The histogenetic origin and the basis of the distribution of central nervous system (CNS) hemangioblastomas in the von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) tumor suppressor gene syndrome, VHL disease, are unknown. To better understand hemangioblastoma histogenesis, we analyzed postmortem CNS tissues from four patients with well-established diagnosis of VHL disease including development of characteristic tumors and positive family history. Numerous angiomesenchymal tumorlets, which resembled hemangioblastoma, but which also consistently showed distinct histological features, were distributed in the nerve roots, spinal cord, and cerebellum. Genetic analysis consistently showed deletion of the wild-type VHL allele in these tumorlets. Most angiomesenchymal tumorlets were in the dorsal nerve roots; the anterior roots and cerebellum were less frequently affected. Tumorlet distribution was highly consistent in the four cases. In analogy to the wide morphological spectrum of lesions known to exist in VHL kidneys, nerve roots appear to harbor more wide-spread and morphologically heterogeneous changes than previously appreciated. The abundance of tumorlets, associated with highly consistent morphology and topography, suggests a developmental origin of hemangioblastoma. Therefore, in VHL disease, inactivation of the VHL wild-type allele appears necessary, but not sufficient, for the formation of tumor that produces symptoms and neurological disability.

Introduction: Researchinto the pathogenesis, molecular signaling, and treatment of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) has traditionally been conducted using cell lines derived from malignant gliomas. We compared protein expression patterns between solid primary GBMs and GBM cell lines to identify proteins whose expression may be altered in cell culture. Methods: We cultured cell lines U87, U118, U251, and A172 and used tissue-selective microdissection of eight primary GBMs to obtain pure populations of tumor cells, which we studied using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2DGE) and examined using differential expression software. Select protein targets expressed differentially between GBM tumors and GBM cell lines were sequenced using tandem mass spectrometry. Results: Analysis of the primary GBM tumor samples (n = 8) and the GBM cell lines revealed reproducibly similar proteomic patterns for each group, which distinguished tumors from the cell lines. Gels contained up to 500 proteins that were consistently identified in the pH 4 to 7 range. Comparison of proteins identified in the GBM tumors and in the cell lines showed f160 proteins that were gained and 60 proteins that were lost on culture. Using normalized intensity patterns from the 2DGE images, ANOVA tests were done and statistically significant spots were identified. Seven proteins found in the cell lines were significantly increased when compared with the GBM tumors (P < 0.05), whereas 10 proteins were significantly decreased from cell lines compared with the GBM tumors. Proteins identified included transcription factors, tumor suppressor genes, cytoskeletal proteins, and cellular metabolic proteins. Conclusion: Global protein and proteomic differences were identified between primary GBM tumor samples and GBM cell lines. The proteins identified by 2DGE analysis elucidate some of the selection pressures of in vitro culture, help accentuate the advantages and limitations of cell culture, and may aid comprehension of gliomagenesis and enhance development of new therapeutics.