# Serum p-Cresol and 7-HOCA Levels and Fatty Acid and Purine Metabolism Are Associated with Survival, Progression, and Molecular Classification in GB—Serum Proteome and Metabolome Analysis Pre vs. Post Up-Front Chemoirradiation

## TL;DR

This study found that blood levels of certain molecules and metabolic changes in glioblastoma patients are linked to survival and treatment response, offering potential for noninvasive monitoring.

## Contribution

The study identifies p-cresol and 7-HOCA as novel serum biomarkers and highlights fatty acid and purine metabolism as key pathways in glioblastoma prognosis.

## Key findings

- Higher pre-treatment 7-HOCA levels were linked to worse survival and progression in glioblastoma patients.
- Increased p-cresol levels were associated with improved survival and progression-free survival.
- Changes in fatty acid and purine metabolism pathways were connected to better patient outcomes.

## Abstract

Glioblastoma is the most common and aggressive brain cancer. Even with surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, it almost always returns because the tumor becomes resistant to treatment. Doctors currently lack simple blood tests that can show how a patient’s tumor is responding to better guide therapy choices. In this study, we analyzed blood samples from people with glioblastoma taken before and after treatment. We measured thousands of proteins and small molecules and identified several linked to how long patients lived and to when their cancer progressed. Two molecules in particular, p-cresol and 7-HOCA, stood out as strong indicators of outcome. Changes in how the body uses energy, fats, and building blocks of DNA also reflected tumor behavior. These findings show that blood can carry important signals about a brain tumor’s biology and may one day help doctors monitor treatment and design more personalized therapies.

Background: Glioblastoma (GB) is the most common primary brain tumor, with poor prognosis, significant neurological symptoms, and near-universal recurrence. Biomarker development is often limited by the scarcity of tumor tissue available for study. Noninvasive serum-based profiling offers potential to improve outcomes. Purpose: This study examined serum proteomic and metabolomic profiles pre- and post-concurrent chemoirradiation (CRT) to identify associations with patient outcomes and molecular classification, and to explore relevant signaling and metabolic pathways. Methods: Serum samples from 109 GB patients, obtained prior to and following completion of CRT, were analyzed with each patient serving as their own control, using a SOMAScan® proteomic assay (7289 proteins) and metabolomics (SECIM, 6015 compounds). Clinical data were obtained through chart review. Proteomic and metabolomic changes were examined at baseline (prior to CRT) and in alteration (pre- vs. post-CRT) for their association with overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), MGMT, and IDH status. Cox models, gene set enrichment analysis (Hallmark, GSEA), and Kaplan–Meier survival analysis were used. Results: Several hundred proteins and metabolites were associated with OS and PFS. MGMT status was known in 60% and IDH in 38% of patients. Pre-CRT DLST (HR 11.7, p < 0.001, adj p = 0.01) was the only protein significantly associated with OS. Pre-CRT, and higher 7-HOCA was linked to worse OS (HR 1.3) and PFS (HR 1.5), while increased p-cresol was associated with improved OS (HR 0.8) and PFS (HR 0.9). Kaplan–Meier analysis based on signal alteration post-CRT vs. pre-CRT, revealed superior OS with lower DLST and MSR1 and superior PFS with higher PGAM2 and ATG5, and lower 7-HOCA. Pathway analysis linked improved PFS to fatty acid metabolism, citric acid cycle, and purine biosynthesis. MGMT and IDH class comparisons revealed associations primarily with amino acid and fatty acid metabolism. Both MGMT methylation and IDH mutation correlated with increased PLAG12B expression, with significance only for MGMT (p < 0.001). IDH mutation was associated with decreased MSR1 (p = 0.047) and p-cresol (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Serum-based fatty acid and purine metabolism pathways are associated with OS and PFS in GB. 7-HOCA and p-cresol emerged as potential biomarkers linked to treatment response and molecular subtype. These findings support further investigation of noninvasive biospecimens for clinically actionable biomarkers in GB.