Side Effects Of Radiation Therapy For Glioblastoma Multiforme

Glioblastoma multiforme gbm also called glioblastoma is a fast growing glioma that develops from star shaped glial cells astrocytes and oligodendrocytes that support the health of the nerve cells within the brain.

Side effects of radiation therapy for glioblastoma multiforme.

Glioblastoma multiforme is also called glioblastoma grade iv astrocytoma or gbm. I m aware that this type of tumor spreads and grows very fast however the side effects of the two treatments has brought up a great deal of nervousness. There were 203 patients with brain tumors greater than or equal to 44 mm in diameter involved in this clinical. After doing quite a bit of research i m second guessing whether it is worth going through radiation and chemo.

In november 2016 a study was published suggesting that a protein called rsk2 which regulates cell growth is heightened in many patients with glioblastoma. Long term effects can happen months to many years after cancer treatment and the risks vary depending on the areas included in the field of radiation and the radiation techniques that were used as these continue to develop and improve. It affects the brain more often than the spinal cord. For this reason most people receive additional treatments after surgery to target the remaining cells.

But because glioblastoma grows into the normal brain tissue complete removal isn t possible. However treating glioblastoma with radiation therapy to the brain can cause hair loss around the part of the head where the radiation beam enters. Gbm is often referred to as a grade iv astrocytoma these are the most invasive type of glial tumors rapidly growing and commonly spreading into nearby brain tissue. The median survival time with glioblastoma is 15 to 16 months in people who get surgery chemotherapy and radiation treatment.

These tumors grow from glial cells which form the supportive tissue of the brain and spinal cord. The side effects mentioned above tend to occur during treatment up until a few months after treatment. Researchers from the radiation therapy oncology group have reported that the addition of srt to conventional ebrt and chemotherapy does not appear to improve outcomes in patients with glioblastoma multiforme. Radiation therapy uses high energy beams such as x rays or protons to kill cancer cells.

As a result doctors can use lower doses of radiation reducing treatment side effects. The standard of treatment for a gbm is surgery followed by daily radiation and oral chemotherapy for six and a half weeks then a six month regimen of oral chemotherapy given five days a month. To start the neurosurgeon will remove as much of the tumor as possible and may implant medicated wafers right into the brain. The most commonly used chemotherapy for glioblastoma is called temozolomide tmz and hair loss isn t typically one of the side effects of this chemotherapy.

Glioblastoma multiforme is a fast growing brain or spinal cord tumor.