Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common tumor responsible for primary brain cancer; it is also the most aggressive. GBM and other primary brain cancers are rare. Treatments are available and will depend on factors like the location, symptoms and rate of growth.
Prognosis
GBM tumors grow very quickly. According to the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, one out of every four patients with GBM will survive for two years. Your outlook is better if you are under age 45 and if all or a majority of the tumor can be removed through surgery.
Causes
Primary brain tumors are rare compared to other types of cancer, and the exact causes are unknown. Some mechanism is causing the cells to divide abnormally, resulting in a mass of damaged cells that turns into a tumor.
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Symptoms
The symptoms you experience depend on the individual characteristics of the tumor. The following symptoms are common, but you might not experience all of them: headaches that become more frequent or severe; unexplained nausea or vomiting; vision problems; odd sensations in your arms or legs; trouble balancing, speaking or hearing; confusion; personality and behavior changes; and seizures
Risk Factors
While definitive causes for brain cancer have not been established, the medical community has determined certain risk factors that increase your chances of developing GBM.
GBM is more common in white people than African-Americans. Most primary brain tumors are found in people older than 45. Men are more vulnerable than women. Exposure to radiation and chemicals can increase your risk for GBM. You are also at an increased risk if someone in your family has had a brain tumor.
Complications
GBM tumors can cause several complications that can become permanent. If it damages a part of the brain that controls movement, you can suffer permanent weakness in various parts of your body at a level on par with a stroke. Permanent changes in your vision or hearing and personality are possible, as are severe, frequent headaches.
Treatments
Surgery is the first line of treatment if the tumor is located in a place safe to operate. Your surgeon will attempt to remove as much of it as possible. Removing even a portion of the tumor can make a big difference in your symptoms.
Radiation therapy is used for tumors that cannot be operated on at all or to kill cells that were not able to be removed during surgery. High doses of X-ray particles are aimed at the tumor to damage the cells and prevent them from multiplying.
Chemotherapy uses drugs to destroy cancerous cells. A common form of chemotherapy for GBM is the implantation of wafers containing chemotherapy drugs during surgery; they release the medication over the course of several days. You might also receive chemotherapy intravenously or orally.
Targeted drug therapies focus on a specific aspect of the cancerous cells and aim to interfere with its actions. The most common targeted drug for GBM is Avastin. It is injected into the vein and blocks the formation of new blood vessels; without a proper blood supply, cancerous cells cannot survive.
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