Routine molecular subgrouping of medulloblastoma: Bridging the divide between research and the clinic using low-cost, mass spectrometry-based DNA methylomics

DNA-methylation patterns allow the subclassification of medulloblastoma, the most common childhood malignant brain tumour, into four molecular subgroups (WNT, SHH, MBGrp3 and MBGrp4). These subgroups have distinct molecular and clinico-pathological features, and their distinction is now informing future treatments and risk-stratification. Whilst microarrays to assign subgroup are suitable for research purposes, they are limited by expense, platform-specificity, sample quality requirements and practicality. Here, we aimed to develop a low-cost, array-independent, robust subgrouping assay suitable for routine quality-controlled subclassification, including scant and poor-quality samples.