Tumor Heterogeneity in Glioblastomas: From Light Microscopy to Molecular Pathology
One of the main reasons for the aggressive behavior of glioblastoma (GBM) is its intrinsic intra-tumor heterogeneity, characterized by the presence of clonal and subclonal differentiated tumor cell populations, glioma stem cells, and components of the tumor microenvironment, which affect multiple ha...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-02-01
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| Series: | Cancers |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/13/4/761 |
| _version_ | 1797396760104009728 |
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| author | Aline P. Becker Blake E. Sells S. Jaharul Haque Arnab Chakravarti |
| author_facet | Aline P. Becker Blake E. Sells S. Jaharul Haque Arnab Chakravarti |
| author_sort | Aline P. Becker |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | One of the main reasons for the aggressive behavior of glioblastoma (GBM) is its intrinsic intra-tumor heterogeneity, characterized by the presence of clonal and subclonal differentiated tumor cell populations, glioma stem cells, and components of the tumor microenvironment, which affect multiple hallmark cellular functions in cancer. “Tumor Heterogeneity” usually encompasses both <i>inter-tumor heterogeneity</i> (population-level differences); and <i>intra-tumor heterogeneity</i> (differences within individual tumors). Tumor heterogeneity may be assessed in a single time point (spatial heterogeneity) or along the clinical evolution of GBM (longitudinal heterogeneity). Molecular methods may detect clonal and subclonal alterations to describe tumor evolution, even when samples from multiple areas are collected in the same time point (spatial-temporal heterogeneity). In GBM, although the inter-tumor mutational landscape is relatively homogeneous, intra-tumor heterogeneity is a striking feature of this tumor. In this review, we will address briefly the inter-tumor heterogeneity of the CNS tumors that yielded the current glioma classification. Next, we will take a deeper dive in the intra-tumor heterogeneity of GBMs, which directly affects prognosis and response to treatment. Our approach aims to follow technological developments, allowing for characterization of intra-tumor heterogeneity, beginning with differences on histomorphology of GBM and ending with molecular alterations observed at single-cell level. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T00:57:09Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-004c604d27fb48c89a46f4d98d4adc72 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-6694 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T00:57:09Z |
| publishDate | 2021-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cancers |
| spelling | doaj.art-004c604d27fb48c89a46f4d98d4adc722023-12-11T16:49:55ZengMDPI AGCancers2072-66942021-02-0113476110.3390/cancers13040761Tumor Heterogeneity in Glioblastomas: From Light Microscopy to Molecular PathologyAline P. Becker0Blake E. Sells1S. Jaharul Haque2Arnab Chakravarti3Comprehensive Cancer Center, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USAMedical Scientist Training Program, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63310, USAComprehensive Cancer Center, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USAComprehensive Cancer Center, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USAOne of the main reasons for the aggressive behavior of glioblastoma (GBM) is its intrinsic intra-tumor heterogeneity, characterized by the presence of clonal and subclonal differentiated tumor cell populations, glioma stem cells, and components of the tumor microenvironment, which affect multiple hallmark cellular functions in cancer. “Tumor Heterogeneity” usually encompasses both <i>inter-tumor heterogeneity</i> (population-level differences); and <i>intra-tumor heterogeneity</i> (differences within individual tumors). Tumor heterogeneity may be assessed in a single time point (spatial heterogeneity) or along the clinical evolution of GBM (longitudinal heterogeneity). Molecular methods may detect clonal and subclonal alterations to describe tumor evolution, even when samples from multiple areas are collected in the same time point (spatial-temporal heterogeneity). In GBM, although the inter-tumor mutational landscape is relatively homogeneous, intra-tumor heterogeneity is a striking feature of this tumor. In this review, we will address briefly the inter-tumor heterogeneity of the CNS tumors that yielded the current glioma classification. Next, we will take a deeper dive in the intra-tumor heterogeneity of GBMs, which directly affects prognosis and response to treatment. Our approach aims to follow technological developments, allowing for characterization of intra-tumor heterogeneity, beginning with differences on histomorphology of GBM and ending with molecular alterations observed at single-cell level.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/13/4/761glioblastomatumor microenvironmentprecision medicinegliomaneoplastic stem cellsprognosis |
| spellingShingle | Aline P. Becker Blake E. Sells S. Jaharul Haque Arnab Chakravarti Tumor Heterogeneity in Glioblastomas: From Light Microscopy to Molecular Pathology Cancers glioblastoma tumor microenvironment precision medicine glioma neoplastic stem cells prognosis |
| title | Tumor Heterogeneity in Glioblastomas: From Light Microscopy to Molecular Pathology |
| title_full | Tumor Heterogeneity in Glioblastomas: From Light Microscopy to Molecular Pathology |
| title_fullStr | Tumor Heterogeneity in Glioblastomas: From Light Microscopy to Molecular Pathology |
| title_full_unstemmed | Tumor Heterogeneity in Glioblastomas: From Light Microscopy to Molecular Pathology |
| title_short | Tumor Heterogeneity in Glioblastomas: From Light Microscopy to Molecular Pathology |
| title_sort | tumor heterogeneity in glioblastomas from light microscopy to molecular pathology |
| topic | glioblastoma tumor microenvironment precision medicine glioma neoplastic stem cells prognosis |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/13/4/761 |
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