What Is Glioblastoma?
If you’ve been diagnosed with glioblastoma, there are treatments to help you live better and ease your symptoms.
Read on to learn more about brain cancer, so you can take action to get the best care.
Brain Cancer Clinical Trials
Major pharmaceutical companies continually research and develop new medications and treatments for brain cancer, which must be shown to be safe and effective before doctors can prescribe them to patients. Through clinical trials, researchers test the effects of new medications on a group of volunteers with brain cancer. Following a strict protocol and using carefully controlled conditions, researchers evaluate the investigational drugs under development and measure the ability of the new drug to...
Read the Brain Cancer Clinical Trials article > >
Glioblastoma is a type of astrocytoma, a cancer that forms from star-shaped cells in the brain called astrocytes. In adults, this cancer usually starts in the cerebrum, the largest part of your brain.
Almost 1 in 5 tumors that start in the brain are glioblastomas. Men are more likely to get them than women. And chances go up with age.
Glioblastoma tumors are usually highly malignant, or cancerous. These are grade 4 tumors, which means they can grow fast and spread quickly.
Glioblastoma tumors make their own blood supply, which helps them grow. It's easy for them to invade normal brain tissue.
Because glioblastomas grow quickly, pressure on the brain usually causes the first symptoms. Depending on where the tumor is, it can cause:
There are two types:
A neurologist, a doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating brain disorders, will give you a complete exam. It may include an MRI or CT scan and other tests, depending on your symptoms.
The goal of glioblastoma treatment is to slow and control tumor growth and improve your quality of life. There are three standard treatments:
Read on to learn more about brain cancer, so you can take action to get the best care.
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Brain Cancer Clinical Trials
Major pharmaceutical companies continually research and develop new medications and treatments for brain cancer, which must be shown to be safe and effective before doctors can prescribe them to patients. Through clinical trials, researchers test the effects of new medications on a group of volunteers with brain cancer. Following a strict protocol and using carefully controlled conditions, researchers evaluate the investigational drugs under development and measure the ability of the new drug to...
Read the Brain Cancer Clinical Trials article > >
Where It Forms in the Brain
Glioblastoma is a type of astrocytoma, a cancer that forms from star-shaped cells in the brain called astrocytes. In adults, this cancer usually starts in the cerebrum, the largest part of your brain.
How Common Is It?
Almost 1 in 5 tumors that start in the brain are glioblastomas. Men are more likely to get them than women. And chances go up with age.
How Serious Is It?
Glioblastoma tumors are usually highly malignant, or cancerous. These are grade 4 tumors, which means they can grow fast and spread quickly.
Glioblastoma tumors make their own blood supply, which helps them grow. It's easy for them to invade normal brain tissue.
Symptoms
Because glioblastomas grow quickly, pressure on the brain usually causes the first symptoms. Depending on where the tumor is, it can cause:
- Persistent headaches
- Seizures
- Vomiting
- Trouble thinking
- Changes in mood or personality
- Double or blurred vision
- Trouble speaking
How Tumors Become Glioblastoma
There are two types:
- Primary glioblastoma is the most common. It starts out as a grade 4 tumor and is very aggressive.
- Secondary glioblastoma starts as a grade 2 or 3 tumor, which grow slower. Then it becomes grade 4. About 10% of glioblastomas are this type. They tend to happen when you're 45 or younger.
Diagnosing Glioblastoma
A neurologist, a doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating brain disorders, will give you a complete exam. It may include an MRI or CT scan and other tests, depending on your symptoms.
Treatment
The goal of glioblastoma treatment is to slow and control tumor growth and improve your quality of life. There are three standard treatments:
- Surgery is the first treatment. The surgeon tries to remove as much of the tumor as possible. In high-risk areas of the brain, the surgeon may not be able to remove all of a tumor.
- Radiationis used to kill as many leftover tumor cells as possible after surgery. It can also slow the growth of tumors that can't be removed by surgery.
- Chemotherapy may also be used. Temozolomide is the most common chemotherapy drug used for glioblastoma. Chemotherapy can cause short-term side effects, but it is much less toxic than it used to be.
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