Applicable advances in the molecular pathology of glioblastoma

Comprising more than 80% of malignant brain tumors, glioma has proven to be a daunting cause of mortality in a vast majority of the human population. Progressive and extensive research on malignant glioma has substantially enhanced our understanding of glioma cell biology and molecular pathology. Subtypes of glioma such as astrocytoma and oligodendroglioma are currently grouped together into one pathological class, where they show many differences in histology and molecular etiology. This indicates that it may be beneficial to consider a new and radical subclassification. Thus, we summarize recent developments in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) subtypes, immunohistochemical analyses useful for diagnoses and the biological evaluation and therapeutic implications of gliomas in this review.