Two gene changes may mark higher risk in hard-to-label brain tumors
Original title: EGFR and TP53 mutations refine prognostic stratification of IDH-wildtype astrocytomas, not elsewhere classified.
How far along is this research?
- Lab cells
- Animals
- Review
- Tested in people
This was tested in people. That is the most reliable kind of research we share.
This was a look back at past patient records, not a test of a new treatment.
The short version
Two gene changes may help doctors spot which hard-to-label brain tumors act more dangerous.
What was studied. Researchers looked back at 38 adults who had a grade 2 or 3 astrocytoma that did not fit a clear tumor group. They compared them with 429 people who had glioblastoma: A glioma that is given grade 4. Grade 4 is the highest grade there is. The tumor grows fast. Treatment usually starts soon after it is found. It often means surgery, and then radiation and chemotherapy. See the glossary. The team tested the genes in the tumors.
What they found. The tumors were very mixed. Of the 30 tumors given a deeper test, 21 did not match any known tumor group. A change in a gene called EGFR showed up in 3 of 38 tumors. A change in a gene called TP53: A gene checked on the tumor tissue. Whether it has changed is one of the findings used to name an astrocytoma. Ask your team whether the change they found was in the tumor only. See the glossary showed up in 8 of 38 tumors. People with either change lived about as long as people with glioblastoma: A glioma that is given grade 4. Grade 4 is the highest grade there is. The tumor grows fast. Treatment usually starts soon after it is found. It often means surgery, and then radiation and chemotherapy. See the glossary. People without these changes lived longer.
What this means, and what it doesn't
What it could mean: Doctors may be able to tell which of these unclear tumors carry a higher risk. The gene test used here is one many labs already run. That could help doctors plan care and talk about what to expect.
What it doesn't mean: This is not a new treatment. The team looked back at past records in a small group of people. It does not show that treating these gene changes helps anyone live longer. The authors say the idea still needs to be checked in a study that follows new patients. It is not a cure, and it does not promise anything for one person.
Source: PubMed, August 3, 2026 · Read the original
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