The molecular characteristics of the tumours analysed included 1p and 19q copy number status, originally considered a prognostic marker in oligodendroglial tumours but more recently shown to be predictive in patients with anaplastic oligodendroglioma [8, 9], MGMT copy number and methylation status and IDH1 or IDH2 mutation, all reported to be prognostic biomarkers [1, 2, 10–12]. This evidence concerns the gene IDH2 and neoplasm.