7 Things to Know About Glioblastoma

News recently shocked the nation that Sen. John McCain was diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer called glioblastoma. Dr. Mark Mishra, a radiation oncologist at the University of Maryland Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center and Maryland Proton Treatment Center who specializes in treating brain cancer, tells you 7 things to know about glioblastoma. How common is glioblastoma? Glioblastoma is the most common type of primary brain tumor that is diagnosed in adults.  There are estimated to be nearly 13,000 patients who will be diagnosed with a glioblastoma annually within the United States. Why is it so aggressive? Glioblastoma can be difficult to cure with radiation and chemotherapy.  In spite of surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, the tumor most commonly recurs within the same part of the brain where the tumor first started. What are the symptoms? Symptoms can vary from patient to the patient, depending upon the size and location of the tumor.  Symptoms include persistent headaches and nausea, speech  and/or vision changes, confusion,  personality changes, or weakness in the arms or legs. How is it typically treated? The optimal treatment for a glioblastoma is surgery, followed by 6 weeks of radiation delivered daily, Monday-Friday, with concurrent chemotherapy.  This is typically followed by additional chemotherapy, for at least 6 months. Has any progress been made in developing new treatments? Prior to 2004, there was no effective chemotherapy ...
Source: Life in a Medical Center - Category: Universities & Medical Training Authors: Tags: Cancer Source Type: blogs