Astrocytomas are tumors that arise from astrocyte cells - part of the supportive (neuroglial) tissue of the brain. Astrocytomas account for about half of all primary tumors of the brain and spinal cord.
Glioblastomas are fast growing astrocytomas that contain areas of dead tumor cells (necrosis). Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM), the most common type of grade IV tumor, tends to invade adjacent brain tissue and to spread throughout the central nervous system. Variants of GBM include gliosarcomas and giant cell glioblastomas.
GBMs occur most often in the cerebrum, especially in the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain. They rarely occur in the brain stem or cerebellum.
GBM represents about 30% of all primary brain tumors and about 50% of the astrocytomas. It is more common in older adults and affects more men than women. Nine percent of childhood brain tumors are glioblastomas.
Glioblastomas can be very difficult to treat. Methods include surgery, chemotherapy, surgery and steroids.
This MediFocus Guide contains an extensive listing of citations and abstracts of recent journal articles that have been published about this condition in trustworthy medical journals. This is the same type of information that is available to physicians and other health care professionals. A partial selection of journal articles that are abstracted in this MediFocus Guide includes:
Post-traumatic malignant glioma: case report and review of the literature. British Journal of Neurosurgery. 2000
Future directions in the treatment of malignant gliomas with temozolomide. Seminars in Oncology. 2000
Temozolomide in malignant gliomas. Seminars in Oncology. 2000
Clinical cure of glioblastoma--two case reports. Neurologia Medico-Chirurgica. 2000
Phenotype vs genotype in the evolution of astrocytic brain tumors. Toxicologic Pathology. 2000
Glioblastoma multiforme in a case of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome: investigation a possible oncogenic influence of human immunodeficiency virus on glial cells. Case report and review of the literature. Journal of Neurosurgery. 2000
Favorable outcome of giant cell glioblastoma in a child. Report of an 11-year survival period. Childs Nervous System. 1998
Long-term survival in cerebral glioblastoma. Case report and critical review of the literature. Tumori. 1998
Long-term survival in patients with supratentorial glioblastoma. Journal of Neuro-Oncology. 1998
Radiosurgery for primary malignant brain tumors. Seminars in Surgical Oncology. 1998
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