Association Between MGMT Promoter Methylation and Clinical and Lifestyle Factors in Glioblastoma: A Single-Center Study in Korea

Background/Objectives: Although O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) promoter methylation is a key predictive biomarker in glioblastoma, its association with clinical and lifestyle characteristics remains poorly understood. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 105 patients who underwent surgical treatment for glioblastoma at Kyungpook National University Hospital between August 2012 and April 2022 to evaluate the relationship between MGMT promoter methylation status and clinical and lifestyle factors. Collected variables included age, sex, body weight, body height, smoking history, and comorbidities such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and hyperlipidemia. Results: Current smoking was significantly associated with MGMT promoter methylation in both univariate and multivariate analyses (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 4.6; p = 0.03). Additionally, a history of hypertension was associated with MGMT promoter methylation after multivariate adjustment (adjusted OR, 3.6; p = 0.03). Conclusions: MGMT promoter methylation in glioblastoma was associated with current smoking and a history of hypertension, suggesting lifestyle-related factors may influence epigenetic mechanisms underlying MGMT promoter methylation in glioblastoma.