What is a Glioblastoma?

Brain tumors belong to a group of diverse tumors that affect the brain and spinal cord known as central nervous
system neoplasms. A brain tumor is a mass of abnormal cells in the brain that have grown and multiplied in an
uncontrolled fashion. Brain tumors that develop from various types of cells that make up the brain are called
primary brain tumors. These types of brain tumors are usually localized (confined) to the brain itself and only rarely
spread to other parts of the body. Metastatic brain tumors, also know as secondary brain tumors, originate from
cancer cells in another part of the body (e.g., lung, breast) and spread to the brain through the bloodstream. The
distinction between primary and secondary brain tumors is important from a clinical perspective because they are
usually treated differently.

Approximately 50% of all primary brain tumors originate from specialized nerve cells in the brain called glial cells.
Brain tumors that arise from glial cells are called gliomas. There are many different types of gliomas but the most
common gliomas develop from glial cells called astrocytes. Primary brain tumors that develop from astrocytes are
referred to as astrocytomas.

The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies astrocytomas into four distinct grades designated as Grade I, II,
III, and IV (discussed in detail below) on the basis of how quickly the cells grow and spread and how the cells
appear under a microscope. A glioblastoma, technically know as glioblastoma multiforme, is the fastest growing
type of astrocytoma (Grade IV astrocytoma) that quickly spreads and invades nearby normal brain tissue and
contains areas of dead cells (necrosis) in the center of the tumor.

Approximately 18,000 people in the United States are diagnosed each year with a malignant (cancerous) primary
brain tumor. Glioblastoma multiforme (GM) is the most common type of primary malignant brain tumor in adults and
accounts for about 50% to 60% of cases. Although GM can occur in all age groups, it is most commonly observed
in adults 50 to 70 years in age. Less than 10% of childhood brain tumors are glioblastomas. Glioblastoma
multiforme tends to occur more frequently in males than females by a ratio of about 3:2. According to the American
Cancer Society, about 13,000 in the United States die each year from primary brain tumors.

Knowledge is Critical when Dealing with a Life-Altering Condition such as a Glioblastoma

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with a glioblastoma, it's critical to learn everything you possibly can about
this condition so that you can make informed decisions about your treatment. That's why we created the Medifocus
Guidebook on Glioblastoma, a comprehensive 159 page patient Guidebook that contains vital information about
glioblastoma that you won't find anywhere in a single source.

The Medifocus Guidebook on Glioblastoma starts out with a detailed overview of the condition and quickly imparts
fundamentally important information about glioblastoma, including:

 The theories regarding the underlying causes of glioblastoma.

 The riks factors that increase a person's chances for developing a glioblastoma.
 The major signs and symptoms that are associated with brain tumors.
 How brain tumors are diagnosed based on factors such as signs/symptoms, patient history, physical
examination, neurological evaluation, and radiologic (imaging) studies.
 The role of brain biopsy in confirming the diagnosis of glioblastoma.
Understanding the Standard Treatments... and the Treatment Options

The goals of treatment for patients with glioblastoma include:

 Surgical removal of the tumor for tumors that are deemed as being operable.
 Destroying residual cancer cells that remain after surgery to prevent recurrence of the tumor.
 Controlling the signs/symptoms of the disease.
 Enabling patients to continue to function and maintain a reasonably good quality of life.
 Prolonging survival to the greatest extent possible.

Understanding the standard treatments - and the treatment options - is critical for achieving the objectives of
treatment for glioblastoma, particularly for maintaining the patient's overall functional capacity and quality of life. As
you read through the section of the Guidebook that focuses on the treatments for glioblastoma, you will specifically
learn about:

 The theories regarding the underlying causes of brain tumors, including glioblastoma.
 The risk factors that can increase a person's chances for developing a brain tumor.
 The predominant signs and symptoms that are associated with brain tumors.
 How brain tumors are diagnosed based on factors such as signs/symptoms, patient history, physical
examination, neurological evaluation, and radiologic (imaging) studies.
 The role of brain biopsy in confirming the diagnosis of glioblastoma.

Understanding the Standard Treatments... and the Treatment Options

The goals of treatment for patients with glioblastoma include:

 Surgical removal of the tumor for tumors that are deemed as operable.
 Destroying residual cancer cells that remain after surgery to prevent tumor recurrence.
 Controlling the signs/symptoms of the disease.
 Enabling patients to continue to function and maintain a reasonably good quality of life.
 Prolonging survival to the greatest extent possible.

Understanding the standard treatments - and the treatment options - is critical for successfully achieving the
objectives of treatment for glioblastoma, and particularly for maintaining the patient's overall functional capacity and
quality of life. As you read through the section of the Guidebook that focuses on the treatments for glioblastoma,
you will specifically learn about:

 The role of surgery as a first-line treatment for glioblastoma tumors that are deemed as operable.
 The risks and benefits of complete versus partial surgical resection of a glioblastoma tumor.
 The treatment options that are available for the management of glioblastoma tumors that cannot be safely
removed with surgery.
 The role of radiation therapy in the management of patients with glioblastoma, including:

o Conventional radiation therapy

 o Stereotactic radiosurgery (Gamma Knife)
o Stereotactic radiotherapy
o Interstitial brachytherapy
o Boron-Neutron capture therapy
 The role of chemotherapy in the management of patients with glioblastoma.

 The benefits in terms of survival of using a combination of radiation therapy and chemotherapy with a
drug called temozolomide for patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma.
 The risks and benefits of a treatment modality known as Gliadel wafer therapy for the treatment of
glioblastoma.
 Novel molecular targeted therapies for glioblastoma that are currently under investigation, including:

o Tyrosine kinase inhibitors

o Angiogenesis inhibitors
o mTOR inhibitors
o Farnesyl transferase inhibitors
 How to manage and better control the symptoms associated with brain tumors, including:

o Brain edema (swelling)

o Headaches
o Seizures
o Focal neurological deficits such as weakness, loss of balance, and swallowing difficulties
 The treatment options that are available for the management of recurrent glioblastoma - a term used to
describe the reappearance of a tumor at or near the site of the original tumor.

 The role of complementary and alternative therapies in the management of patients with glioblastoma.
 The prognosis (outlook) for people with glioblastoma and the important factors that have a significant
impact in predicting the overall chances of recovery and survival.
 Quality of life issues such as sleep disorders, fatigue, weight loss, and psychological stress that can
negatively affect people with glioblastoma, including tips for how to minimize the impact and cope better with
these issues.
 Important questions to ask your doctor about glioblastoma.

A "One-of-a-Kind" Reference Guidebook on Glioblastoma that Goes Way Beyond the Fundamentals

Since 1996, when Medifocus was founded, we've learned that many people with Glioblastoma are seeking more
specific information that goes beyond the fundamentals, such as the causes, diagnosis, standard treatments, and
treatment options. That's why we developed a "one-of-a-kind" reference Guidebook that goes way beyond the
basics and also includes the following sections:

 A Guide to Recent Medical Literature on Glioblastoma - This section of the Guidebook contains an
extensive bibliography of over 100 references to recently published articles about Glioblastoma in authoritative,
peer-reviewed medical journals with links to the absracts (summaries) of the articles. These articles represent
the latest advances in the field and focus on cutting-edge research, new developments, and the lessons
 learned from recently published clinical trials involving patients with Glioblastoma. This is the same level of that
is used by doctors who treat people with Glioblastoma to keep abreast of the latest developments and
breakthroughs in this specialized field of medicine.

 Centers of Research for Glioblastoma - We've compiled a unique directory of doctors, hospitals, medical
centers, and research institutions with special interest and, in many cases, clinical expertise in managing
people with Glioblastoma. The "Centers of Research" directory is a valuable resource for quickly identifying and
locating leading medical authorities and medical institutions both within the United States and other countries
who are considered to be at the forefront in clinical research and treatment of Glioblastoma. You'd have to
spend days - or even weeks - attempting to compile your own list of doctors and medical centers but, with the
"Centers of Research" directory, the information is already right at your fingertips. All you have to do is act on
the information by selecting and contacting the experts or medical institutions listed in the directory by state and
country.

 Organizations and Support Groups for Glioblastoma - The Guidebook also includes a directory of
organizations and support groups whose goal is to help people with Glioblastoma by providing access to
information, resources, and services. Many of these organizations can answer your specific questions, enable
you to "network" with other patients, and provide guidance in areas such as financial, social, or medical-legal
issues. This valuable directory of organizations and support groups includes complete contact information,
including phone numbers and E-mail addresses.

June 2, 2009 - 7:59am

GBM
Hi There, sorry to hear about your sister. Please email me at my personal email bethanydoughty18@hotmail.com

My dad was diagnosed in january with a GBM Grade 4. He went downhill very fast and received radiotherapy after us
pushing and pushing for help. However the radiotherapy failed. Lukily we had been researching alternative therapies. We
are in contact with a doctor from kosovo who has been unbelievable. He is the only person that I can find that has
actually cured people with this type of tumour. He told us what medicine to order for my dad and set him a strict protocol.
Since starting this my dad has done nothing but improve! The doctors cannot believe how good he is so please please
email me and i will send you this doctors details. He is amazing!

N.B.
Please go through the site to know details about GLIOBASTOMA ….The URL is as follow:

http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/g/glioblastoma/intro.htm