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Brain cancer in 2012

Molecular characterization leads the way

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In 2012, advances in molecular profiling of primary brain tumours allowed identification of subgroups of glioma and medulloblastoma that were associated with distinct prognoses and predicted treatment response. Adjuvant chemotherapy is now established for 1p/19q co-deleted anaplastic oligodendrogliomas, and may be the preferred treatment in elderly patients with glioblastoma with a methylated MGMT promoter.

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Correspondence to Roger Stupp.

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Competing interests

R. Stupp served on Advisory Boards to MSD (Merck & Co.), Merck Serono (EMD), and Roche. He is the principal investigator of phase III trials investigating Cilengitide (Merck Serono) and the NovoTTF device (NovoCure Ltd) in glioblastoma. M. E. Hegi served on Advisory Boards to MSD (Merck & Co.), Merck Serono (EMD), and MDxHealth.

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Stupp, R., Hegi, M. Molecular characterization leads the way. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 10, 69–70 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrclinonc.2012.240

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