Clinical Impact of a Next-Generation Sequencing Approach for Glioblastoma Patients

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to assess the clinical impact of next-generation sequencing (NGS), as an increasingly available and advantageous tool, for glioblastoma patients. Methods: Adult patients aged less than 65, and surgically treated for glioblastoma between 2010-2021, were included. Tumor samples were analyzed with NGS using the Oncomine Comprehensive v3 (OCA) panel and Ion Reporter Genexus v5.9.1 (Thermo Fisher Scientific). Results: Thirty-two patients were included, with a median age of 47.7 years and a median overall survival of 25 months. Identification of mutations by NGS resulted in a change in diagnosis in two cases. In all patients but one, at least one genetic alteration was detected (median of three per patient), most commonly EGFR amplification. In 93.7% of patients, biomarkers that make them potentially eligible for a clinical trial were found. No survival differences were seen regarding genetic alterations, although a trend towards better survival for those patients without CDK4 mutation was observed (p = 0.088). Conclusions: The use of NGS provides useful information for diagnosis, especially in young patients, and it will probably become valuable for clinical decision-making as more therapeutic targets and treatments emerge. For the moment, it is crucial for scientific progress to happen.