Molecular subgroups of medulloblastoma

Abstract

Recent efforts at stratifying medulloblastomas based on their molecular features have revolutionized our understanding of this morbidity. Collective efforts by multiple independent groups have subdivided medulloblastoma from a single disease into four distinct molecular subgroups characterized by disparate transcriptional signatures, mutational spectra, copy number profiles and, most importantly, clinical features. We present a summary of recent studies that have contributed to our understanding of the core medulloblastoma subgroups, focusing largely on clinically relevant discoveries that have already, and will continue to, shape research.

Keywords::

• chromatin
• genomics
• medulloblastoma
• molecular classification
• pediatric brain tumors
• subgroups

Financial & competing interests disclosure

MD Taylor is supported by the NIH (grant CA159859 to MD Taylor, B Weiss and R Wechsler-Reya). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.