Research Projects

High-grade gliomas, with a high incidence of 5-10 per 100,000 people per year, burden healthcare resources and have an overall survival of 14 months. Early detection and tailored therapy are key to better outcomes. The 2021 CNS5 WHO classification has highlighted the importance of CDKN2A/B homozygous deletion, assigning any glioma a Grade 4 nomenclature. Molecular profiling of gliomas is the way forward for diagnosis and prognosis. This study aims to identify and validate non-invasive surrogate neuroimaging biomarkers for the presence of CDKN 2A alteration molecular profiles in patients with gliomas. The study will focus on conventional MRI (cMRI) and advanced MRI features of gliomas with CDKN 2A/B homozygous deletion and identify standout discriminatory features. An imaging phenotype radiomics-based signature from MRI, highlighting unique textural patterns, is intended. The working hypothesis is that there exist signature imaging biomarkers for the presence of CDKN2A alterations in IDH-mutant gliomas that portend clinical outcomes and survival. The prospective study will be conducted at NIMHANS, Bangalore, with 200 subjects with gliomas. Clinical evaluation and neuroimaging will be performed at surgical admission, followed by follow-up for overall and progression-free survival at 6 monthly intervals. The study aims to provide a strategic candidate for glioma prognostication, with precise depiction of surrogate neuroimaging markers translating to targeted treatments and better clinical outcomes.