Several kinds of information build the diagnosis
Imaging helps a team understand the location and appearance of a brain tumour. Tissue assessment and molecular testing add information about its type and biological features. The complete diagnosis brings these findings together. [M03]
IDH
IDH refers to a group of enzymes. Whether a relevant IDH mutation is present helps distinguish tumour categories. Under the current adult classification, glioblastoma is IDH-wildtype; an IDH-mutant grade 4 astrocytoma has a different name.
MGMT
MGMT is involved in DNA repair. Testing for methylation of its promoter can help inform discussion of sensitivity to temozolomide in the appropriate clinical context. It is one part of the treatment discussion and cannot predict an individual outcome with certainty. [M03]
What this means for research
A study needs to describe the tumours it includes. Combining biologically different diagnoses without explaining them can make a result difficult to interpret. Our programme design therefore treats diagnostic and treatment context as essential information when choosing models and interpreting cell states.