On Sept. 4, 2008, the Cancer Genome Atlas reported first results of comprehensive study of brain tumors. This large-scale, comprehensive study examined the most common form of brain cancer, glioblastoma.

Among the TCGA findings are the identification of many gene mutations involved in GBM, including three previously unrecognized mutations that occur with significant frequency; and the delineation of core pathways disrupted in this type of brain cancer. Among the most exciting results is an unexpected observation that points to a potential mechanism of resistance to a common chemotherapy drug used for brain cancer.

More than 21,000 new cases of brain cancer are predicted in the United States this year, with more than 13,000 people likely to die from the disease. GBM, which is the type of brain cancer most often found in adults, is a very fast-growing type of tumor. Most patients with GBM die of the disease within approximately 14 months of diagnosis.

The TCGA network analyzed the complete sets of DNA, or genomes, of tumor samples donated by 206 patients with GBM. The work complements and expands upon a parallel study by Johns Hopkins researchers of 22 GBM tumors, which was also published today in the journal Science.

The pathway mapping promises to be particularly informative for researchers working to develop therapeutic strategies that are aimed more precisely at specific cancers or that are better tailored to each patient’s particular subtype of tumor.