DNA methylation data from CNS-PNETs and various other brain tumor samples

Primitive neuroectodermal tumours of the central nervous system (CNS PNETs) are highly aggressive, poorly differentiated embryonal tumours occurring predominantly in young children. Using DNA methylation and gene expression profiling we have demonstrated that a significant proportion of institutionally diagnosed CNS PNETs display molecular profiles indistinguishable from those of various other well defined CNS tumour entities, facilitating diagnosis and appropiate therapy for children with these tumours. From the remaining fraction of CNS PNETs, we have identified four distinct new CNS tumour entities extending to other neuroepithelial tumours, each associated with a recurrent genetic alteration and particular histopathological and clinical features. These molecular entities, designated “CNS Neuroblastoma with FOXR2 activation (CNS NB FOXR2)”, “CNS Ewing sarcoma family tumour with CIC alteration (CNS EFT CIC)”, “CNS high grade neuroepithelial tumour with MN1 alteration (CNS HGNET MN1)”, and “CNS high grade neuroepithelial tumour with BCOR alteration (CNS HGNET BCOR)”, will enable meaningful clinical trials and the development of therapeutic strategies for patients affected by these poorly differentiated CNS tumours. 586 brain tumor samples were profiled using the Illumina HumanMethylation450 BeadChip (450k) array.