Studying Cerebrospinal Fluid Proteins and Angiogenesis Proteins in Young Patients With Newly Diagnosed Central Nervous System Tumors

Evaluation of Cerebral Spinal Fluid (CSF) Proteome and Angiogenesis Proteins in Children With Newly Diagnosed Central Nervous System Tumors

RATIONALE: Studying samples of cerebrospinal fluid from patients with cancer in the laboratory may help doctors identify biomarkers related to cancer.

PURPOSE: This laboratory study is studying cerebrospinal fluid proteins and angiogenesis proteins in young patients with newly diagnosed central nervous system tumors.

OBJECTIVES:

Primary

• Investigate the feasibility of centrally collecting and processing high-quality cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from pediatric patients with newly diagnosed central nervous system tumors for proteomic studies.
• Identify protein markers that might indicate the presence of a brain tumor using CSF samples collected from these patients.

OUTLINE: This is a multicenter study.

Patients undergo cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) collection from any or all of the following 5 sites: lumbar, cervical, ommaya, intra-operative (ventricular, cisternal), and/or external ventricular drain. CSF is obtained within 8 weeks of diagnosis but prior to (or concurrent with) the initiation of any post-operative therapy (excluding corticosteroids).

CSF samples are examined for proteomic biomarkers by 2D gel electrophoresis, low-mass fingerprinting, and stable isotope labeling.

PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 99 patients will be accrued for this study.

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed CNS tumors of any of the following histologies:

  • Diffuse pontine gliomas*

  • Focal/infiltrative tumors, including any of the following:

    • High- and low-grade gliomas
    • Gangliogliomas
    • Ependymomas
    • Oligodendrogliomas
    • Craniopharyngioma
    • Dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumors
    • Other low-grade neoplasms

  • Optic pathway gliomas*

  • Seeding tumors, including any of the following:

    • Germ cell tumors (germinomas and nongerminomas)

    • Embryonal tumors, including any of the following:

      • Medulloblastoma
      • Pineoblastoma
      • Supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumors
      • Atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor
      • Other embryonal tumors NOTE: *Histological requirement waived

• Newly diagnosed disease

• Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) obtained as part of CSF diversion, initial diagnosis/staging, or administration of intrathecal chemotherapy (at the initiation of postoperative therapy)

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• Less than 22 years of age

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• No prior radiotherapy or chemotherapy
• Prior corticosteroids allowed