Clinical outcome in pediatric glial and embryonal brain tumors correlates with in vitro multi-passageable neurosphere formation

Background Cultured brain tumors can form neurospheres harboring tumorigenic cells with self renewal and differentiation capacities. Renewable neurosphere formation has clinical predictive value in adult malignant gliomas, yet its prognostic role for pediatric brain tumors is unknown. Methods Established neurosphere conditions were used for culturing samples from glial, embryonal and mixed glioneuronal tumors from 56 pediatric patients. Potential associations between neurosphere formation and clinical outcome were analyzed retrospectively. Results Thirty‐seven percent of all samples formed renewable neurospheres. Analysis of available clinical outcome data from 51 patients demonstrated significantly increased hazard ratios (HR) for both disease progression (HR = 9.9, P