Method for Diagnosing, Prognosing and Treating Glioma

摘要

The invention provides generally a method of monitoring, diagnosing, prognosing and treating glioma. Specifically, the invention provides for three (3) prognostic subclasses of glioma, which are differentially associated with activation of the akt and notch signaling pathways. Tumor displaying neural or proneural PN lineage markers (including notch pathway elements) show longer median patient survival, while the two remaining tumor markers Prolif and Mes are associated with shortened survival. Tumors classified in this manner may also be treated with the appropriate PN- Prolif- or Mes-therapeutic corresponding to the subclassification in combination with anti-mitotic agents, anti-angiogenic agents, Akt antagonists, and neural differentiation agents. Alternatively, the invention also provides for method of prognosing and diagnosing glioma with a two-gene model based on the expression levels of PTEN and DLL3.