Glioblastoma is a form of brain cancer that grows fast and can spread quickly throughout the brain. It's the most aggressive type of brain tumor. Treatment for glioblastoma usually involves surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy drugs. These treatments may also help to put the disease into remission in some people.
Gliomas develop when cells in the brain or spinal cord make changes in their DNA. These changes tell the cells to continue living when healthy cells would die. This can cause a tumor to grow quickly and press on nearby nerves or parts of the brain or spinal cord. Researchers aren't sure why gliomas develop. However, genetic disorders or exposure to radiation can also cause them. Scientists know that glia are non-neuronal cells that perform many functions in the brain and nervous system. They provide support for nerve cells (neurons), help maintain homeostasis and produce the myelin sheath, a protective sheath that surrounds nerve fibers in the brain and spinal cord. Glioblastomas develop from specific cells in the brain called astrocytes. They are very aggressive and difficult to treat. Astrocytes are star-shaped glial cells that support neurons in the brain and spinal cord. They have the ability to sense levels of neurotransmitters in a synapse and respond by releasing molecules that directly influence how the neurons communicate. They also recycle glutamate that is released during synaptic transmission and return it as glutamine, which is essential for healthy neuronal function. GP astrocytes can be found in a variety of different parts of the brain, including the cerebellum, cortex, barrel cortex, and hippocampus. They are also important for memory and learning. Risk factors for glioblastoma include prior radiation to the head, a family history of the disease, and hereditary cancer syndromes such as Li Fraumeni syndrome or neurofibromatosis type 1. The main cause is unknown in most cases. Doctors use imaging tests and biopsies to make a diagnosis. Cancer is a disease that starts when cells change (mutate) and grow out of control. This happens when genetic mutations occur, and cells do not die off when they are supposed to. Over time, these changes can cause abnormal cells to accumulate and form a tumor in your brain called glioblastoma. Glioblastomas are the most aggressive and fastest-growing types of brain cancer. There are several factors that increase the chance of getting a glioblastoma, including gender and age. Prior radiation to your head can also increase your risk. Treatment for glioblastoma usually includes surgery to remove as much of the tumor as possible, followed by radiation and chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is used to kill remaining tumor cells, and it may help slow the growth of new tumors. People whose tumors have a favorable gene marker called MGMT methylation are more likely to survive. These findings are part of the work scientists are doing to understand the role of methylation in brain cancer. The main cause of glioblastoma is not known, but it's thought that the growth and spread of this cancer happen due to genetic mutations. People with certain rare genetic conditions, including Li-Fraumeni syndrome, neurofibromatosis type 1, and Turcot syndrome, are at higher risk of developing gliomas. Genetic testing can help doctors determine whether a patient has glioblastoma or another type of brain cancer, and it can also help determine the best treatment for them. At MD Anderson Cancer Center, our world-renowned specialists can perform a molecular profiling test to detect the unique characteristics of a patient's tumor on a genetic level. Glioblastomas are classified into two main groups based on their morphology (grade) and genetic composition. These groups are primary glioblastoma and secondary glioblastoma.
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