[Application of ATRX in diagnosis and prognostic evaluation of glioma]

Objective: To investigate the diagnostic and prognostic implications of ATRX mutation and p53 mutation in patients with glioma. Methods: The clinicopathologic and molecular features of Chinese adult glioma patients, including diffuse and anaplastic astroastrocytoma with IDH mutation, oligodendroglioma and anaplastic oligodendroglioma with IDH mutation and 1p/19q co-deletion and diffuse astroastrocytoma with IDH wild type were reviewed and tested for ATRX loss expression and p53 overexpression. Results: Loss of ATRX expression was seen in 85.19% (23/27) diffuse and anaplastic astroastrocytoma with IDH mutation, higher than that of oligodendroglial tumors (0/53; P<0.01). Loss of ATRX expression was strongly linked to p53 overexpression(69.57%, 16/23). The patients who lost ATRX expression combined with normal p53 expression survived longer(P=0.013). Conclusions: ATRX mutation is a molecular marker for astrocytic tumors. ATRX mutation combined with p53 mutation can predict prognosis of patients with glioma.