Glioblastoma Multiforme

What is a Glioblastoma?

There are many different types of Malignant or cancerous brain tumors. In most cases, a brain Tumor is named for the cell type of origin. The most common type of primary brain tumors are the gliomas. Gliomas arise from Glial cells which are supportive cells that surround, nourish and protect neurons.

One type of Glioma is an astrocytoma. Astrocytomas are graded I through IV, depending on the degree of aggressiveness. The most aggressive astrocytoma, grade IV, is also called a glioblastoma (GBM). Of all brain tumors, a GBM has the greatest potential for rapid growth.

GLIOBLASTOMA MULTIFORME GBMs mainly arise in the cerebral hemispheres (the main portions of the brain), but they can also occur in the Brain Stem, Cerebellum, or spinal cord. Symptoms of a GBM can include headaches that are caused by increased Intracranial Pressure (pressure inside the skull), memory loss, seizures, personality changes, and coordination difficulties. The spread of a GBM to other parts of the body is extremely rare.

How are brain tumors treated?

Treatment for brain tumors depends on the type, size, and location of the tumor. Generally, standard treatment consists of a combination of surgery (when possible), radiation therapy, and Chemotherapy. The goals of surgery are to establish the diagnosis by removing a sample for the pathologist to examine, and to safely remove as much of the tumor as possible. While surgical removal is a mainstay of therapy, surgery alone cannot address the microscopic tumor cells which may have already spread through normal brain tissue by the time the tumor is discovered.

Radiation therapy and chemotherapy are usually used as secondary treatments to destroy tumor cells that cannot be removed by surgery or when surgery is not advised. Presently, the standard protocol involves radiation therapy five days a week for six weeks, in combination with a daily oral chemotherapy called Temodar® ( Temozolomide). In most cases, Temodar® (temozolomide) is then administered on a monthly cycle of five days per month. The dosage and number of cycles is determined by the doctor. Regular blood draws will monitor the patient’s blood counts. Periodic MRIs will be used to monitor the tumor’s response to treatment.

The goal of treatment is to alleviate symptoms and to control the growth of any remaining tumor for as long as possible with the fewest possible side effects.

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This page was last modified on 14th December 2011 at 22:35

Figure 1: GLIOBLASTOMA MULTIFORME - Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License

You can read further information about treatments for Glioblastoma Multiforme below:

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1 Initial Treatments
2 Treatment After Recurrence