No methylation signals in any tumour samples of astrocytoma grade I (0 from 14) was detected (Figure 1(b); Table 1). RUNX3 methylation frequency increased to 11.4% and 17.2% in astrocytoma grade II and astrocytoma grade III tumours, respectively. This evidence concerns the gene RUNX3 and astrocytoma (excluding glioblastoma).