Analysis of BRAF in WHO Grade II Fibrillary Pediatric Astrocytomas

Pediatric Low Grade Astrocytomas (PLGA) are a heterogeneous group of generally slow-growing glial neoplasms. Most common are the largely non-infiltrative pilocytic/pilomyxoid astrocytomas; infiltrating WHO grade II fibrillary astrocytomas represent a second, less common type of PLGA. Relatively little is known about the genetic alterations that differentiate grade II fibrillary astrocytomas from other PLGA, or cause any of these neoplasms to form. However, the molecular biology and clinical behavior of grade II fibrillary astrocytomas arising in children seems to be different from that observed in adult cases. This project, led by Charles G. Eberhart M.D., Ph.D., Peter Burger M.D. and Eli Bar Ph.D., has two aims built on the researchers’ recent identification of a chromosomal change involving the BRAF oncogene in 17 of 25 pilocytic astrocytomas examined: 1) identify BRAF mutations and gene fusions in pediatric grade II fibrillary astrocytoma and 2) perform oligonucleotide array CGH analysis of pediatric grade II fibrillary astrocytoma.

Funded in 2008.