Publications
- Bennett, J., Levine, A. B., Nobre, L., Negm, L., Chung, J., Fang, K., Johnson, M., Komosa, M., Krumholtz, S., Nunes, N. M., Rana, M., Ryall, S., Sheth, J., Siddaway, R., Bale, T. A., Bouffet, E., Cusimano, M. D., Das, S., Detsky, J., Dirks, P., … Hawkins, C. (2025). A population-based analysis of the molecular landscape of glioma in adolescents and young adults reveals insights into gliomagenesis. Nature cancer, 6(6), 1102–1119. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43018-025-00962-x
Gliomas are the most common type of brain tumor and a major cause of cancer-related deaths among adolescents and young adults (AYAs, ages 15–39). While it’s known that children and older adults gliomas show different genetic mutations, this study fills a major knowledge gap by examining how these differences appear in AYAs. Researchers analyzed more than 1,400 brain tumor samples from young people in Toronto, combining clinical data with detailed genetic testing. They found that about one-third of AYA gliomas carry “pediatric-type” genetic alterations, which tend to lead to better outcomes than “adult-type” tumors. Tumors driven by changes in the RAS–MAPK pathway (including BRAF and FGFR mutations) were especially common and behaved differently across ages— specifically with low-grade RAS/MAPK altered tumors, which showed slower tumor growth when they occur in younger patients. The study also uncovered how certain mutations, like IDH, evolve over time and how age influences tumor biology, treatment response, and risk of malignant transformation. Overall, these findings reveal that gliomas in AYAs are biologically distinct from children and older adult gliomas, emphasizing the need for age-tailored diagnostic testing and targeted treatments to improve survival while avoiding unnecessary therapy.
Publications
1. A population-based analysis of the molecular landscape of glioma in adolescents and young adults reveals insights into gliomagenesis
Gliomas are the most common type of brain tumor and a major cause of cancer-related deaths among adolescents and young adults (AYAs, ages 15–39). While it’s known that children and older adults gliomas show different genetic mutations, this study fills a major knowledge gap by examining how these differences appear in AYAs. Researchers analyzed more than 1,400 brain tumor samples from young people in Toronto, combining clinical data with detailed genetic testing. They found that about one-third of AYA gliomas carry “pediatric-type” genetic alterations, which tend to lead to better outcomes than “adult-type” tumors. Tumors driven by changes in the RAS–MAPK pathway (including BRAF and FGFR mutations) were especially common and behaved differently across ages— specifically with low-grade RAS/MAPK altered tumors, which showed slower tumor growth. The study also uncovered how certain mutations, like IDH, evolve over time and how age influences tumor biology, treatment response, and risk of malignant transformation. Overall, these findings reveal that gliomas in AYAs are biologically distinct from children and older adult gliomas, emphasizing the need for age-tailored diagnostic testing and targeted treatments to improve survival while avoiding unnecessary therapy.