Abstract
Malignant glioma is a common type of brain tumor that remains largely incurable. Although
a definitive cell of origin of gliomas remains elusive, numerous population studies,
sequencing efforts, and genetically engineered mouse models have contributed to our
understanding of the early events that may lead to gliomagenesis. Herein we summarize
our current knowledge on the population epidemiology of gliomas, heritable genetic
risk factors, the somatic events that contribute to tumor evolution, and mouse models
that have shed light on the glioma cell of origin. Future studies will increase our
understanding of the sequence of early events within susceptible cells and their niche
that trigger the path to malignant transformation. Such knowledge will allow us to
design more effective treatment options to control tumor growth or screening methods
for early detection.
Keywords
epidemiology - cell of origin - mouse models - hereditary syndromes - heritable genetic
risk factors
