Correlation between genetic alteration and long-term clinical outcome of patients with oligodendroglial tumors, with identification of a consistent region of deletion on chromosome arm 1p

BACKGROUND. In oligodendroglial tumors, allelic losses on chromosome arms 1p and 19q are not only diagnostic molecular markers but also statistically significant predictors of both chemosensitivity and longer recurrence-free survival. In the current study, the authors attempted to analyze 21 patients genetically and clinically, with special emphasis on the correlation between genetic alterations and long-term therapeutic results. METHODS. The authors reviewed the clinical cases of 21 patients who had undergone surgery for oligodendroglial tumors (13 oligodendrogliomas, World Health Organization [WHO] Grade 11; 3 anaplastic oligodendrogliomas, WHO Grade 111; 3 oligoastrocytomas, WHO Grade 11; and 2 anaplastic oligoastrocytomas, WHO Grade 111). Genetic testing for 1p deletions was performed using fluorescence in situ hybridization, and testing for 1p, 17p, and 19q deletions was carried out by microsatellite analysis. Survival was analyzed with univariate and multivariate Cox regression models. In addition, a high-resolution deletion map of 1p, which led to the discovery of a new deleted region on 1p, was obtained. RESULTS. Statistical analysis revealed that both loss of 1p and loss of 19q independently and significantly predicted overall survival. A high-resolution deletion map, which displayed unusually narrow deletions, revealed a new region of deletion between D1S513 and D1S458 (1p34.3-36.11). CONCLUSIONS. One of the putative tumor suppressor loci exists more proximally than ever reported. Based on the observation that 1p and 19q deletions predicted survival, the authors suggest further use of diagnostic and prognostic genetic testing in the clinical setting. (C) 2003 American Cancer Society.