Brain Tumor Awareness Month-Glioblastoma
Glioblastoma, defined by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons as a fast-growing and aggressive brain tumor is probably one of the scariest words you’ll ever hear. This grade four tumor has no cure and less than 1% of all patients with glioblastoma live for more than ten years, making it essentially fatal in most cases. In honor of May being Brain Tumor Awareness Month, I’d like to shed a bit of light on this terrible tumor.
Glioblastoma multiforme forms from cells called astrocytes that support nerve cells and it’s the most common type of primary malignant brain tumor in adults. They grow quickly and can invade and destroy healthy tissue. Some symptoms include headaches that keep getting worse, nausea and vomiting, blurred or double vision, and seizures. The tumor is usually diagnosed through biopsy, imaging tests, or a neurological exam. While, there is no cure to glioblastomas, there are several treatments such as radiation and chemotherapy, supportive care, tumor treating fields therapy, etc. Surgery may be an option in some cases, but in others the tumors may be inoperable. The causes of these tumors are largely unknown, but doctors believe that inherited DNA defects, exposure to chemicals or carcinogens, and high-dose exposure to ionizing radiation may cause genetic mutations which lead to the development of this type of cancer.
Glioblastoma Statistics
More than 14,490 Americans are expected to receive a GBM diagnosis in 2023.
It is estimated that more than 10,000 individuals in the United States will succumb to glioblastoma every year.
Mean age at diagnosis is 65.
In addition to being life-threatening, GBM – and its harsh treatments – inflict devastation upon the brain, which controls cognition, mood, behavior, and every function of every organ and body part.
None of these treatments have succeeded in significantly extending patient lives beyond a few extra months.
GBM accounts for 50.1 percent of all primary malignant brain tumors.
As people, we are accustomed to hearing about something and then just forgetting about it and moving on with our busy lives. If you are a teen or young adult reading this you might say well this is really sad, but why should it affect me? To be honest, a few months ago, I probably would’ve asked myself a similar question, however my knowledge of just how scary glioblastomas are is firsthand. My grandfather’s symptoms hid behind his diabetic neuropathy for over a year, it wasn’t until he was admitted to the hospital that we first heard the word, glioblastoma. This is important to me on a personal level, but it should be important to everyone on a human level because glioblastomas don't discriminate. They don’t care what age, sex, gender, or socioeconomic status you are. Furthermore, men, women, and children of any age should be aware of the symptoms of this disease and visit a doctor if they believe they have any of these symptoms as catching tumors early often allows for more treatment options. In conclusion, this month of May, make it your job to learn a little bit more about brain tumors because it may allow you to spend more time with someone you love.
Sources/Additional Information
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/glioblastoma/cdc-20350148
https://www.moffitt.org/cancers/glioblastoma/diagnosis/causes/
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/leading-causes-of-death.htm