Medical Student University of Missouri School of Medicine Columbia, Missouri, United States
Introduction: Medulloblastoma (MB) comprises a biologically heterogeneous group of embryonal tumors of the cerebellum. Four subgroups of MB have been described (WNT, sonic hedgehog (SHH), Group 3, and Group 4), each associated with different genetic alterations, age at onset, and prognosis. These subgroups have broadly been incorporated into the WHO classification of central nervous system tumors; however, limited data is available regarding the influence of gender on the four subgroups of MB. This study aimed to evaluate the role of gender and its correlation to the subgroup of MB.
Methods: Using the cBioPortal platform and systematic bioinformatical analysis of the Cancer Genome Atlas (DKFZ), Nature data for Medulloblastoma, 488 MB patients, were included in this study. Of which 176 were female, and 312 were male, respectively.
Results: The MB subgroup was statistically significant and distinct among this study's female and male patient populations. The WNT MB subgroup comprised 21 females (11.93%) compared to 15 males (4.81%). The SHH MB subgroup comprised 60 females (34.09%) compared to 69 males (22.12%). The Group 3 MB subgroup comprised 41 females (23.3%) compared to 89 males (28.53%). The Group 4 MB subgroup comprised 54 females (30.68%) compared to 139 males (44.55%). The females primarily comprised the SHH MB subgroup of 34.09%, whereas the males were composed mainly of the Group 4 MB subgroup of 44.55% (p-value = 0.00013).
Conclusion : The findings in this study highlight the complex multifactorial role of gender in MB. Further studies are essential for understanding the role of gender on the MB subgroup, including WNT, SHH, Group 3, and Group 4, and their impact on different genetic alterations, age of MB onset, and prognosis.
