Real-Time Methylation-Specific Polymerase Chain Reaction for MGMT Promoter Methylation Clinical Testing in Glioblastoma: An Alternative Detection Method for a Heterogeneous Process.

Objectives: To develop and evaluate a real-time methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (RT-MSP) MGMT assay, with a particular focus on small biopsies and indeterminate testing results.

Methods: We assessed formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded glioblastoma or gliosarcoma specimens (n = 641). A test-validation group (n = 51) with previously obtained reference laboratory (RL) results was used to determine performance characteristics of the RT-MSP assay. An indeterminate (equivocal) category was established for cases that could not be clearly classified as positive or negative.

Results: Overall agreement of RT-MSP and RL results was 91% (41/45 nonindeterminate cases). Discordant cases were tested by pyrosequencing, and results were most concordant with RT-MSP. Among cases with limited amounts of tissue (n = 7), six yielded valid results by RT-MSP (all negative); the single invalid result consisted of a stereotactic biopsy specimen obtained 14 years prior. A subset of indeterminate cases obtained during clinical testing (n = 18/575 [3%]) was also evaluated by pyrosequencing and showed a heterogeneous pattern of methylation across the eight interrogated CpG sites.

Conclusions: The RT-MSP assay that we developed in-house is a robust clinical detection method for the heterogeneous process of MGMT promoter methylation in glioblastoma.