Addressing Diffuse Glioma as a Systemic Brain Disease With Single-Cell Analysis

Objective To analyze infiltration patterns of IDH1 mutant diffuse gliomas into the brain by identification of single tumor cells applying an antibody specific to mutant IDH1 R132H protein. Design Immunohistochemical analysis. Setting University hospital. Patients Whole-brain and hemisphere sections of 4 patients diagnosed with diffuse glioma. Results Tumor cells were identified in areas that appeared inconspicuous macroscopically and at histological analysis with respect to cellularity, cellular pleomorphism, or mitotic activity in all cases. Conclusion Detection of single tumor cells throughout the brain demonstrates diffuse glioma to represent systemic brain disease.