CancerCare: Glioblastoma

Glioblastoma is cancer of the brain. This cancer rarely spreads from the brain to other areas of the body. Glioblastoma is classified as "high grade" because it is "fast-growing" and one of the most aggressive types of cancer.

Headaches and seizures are common symptoms of glioblastoma, as well as problems concentrating due to pressure buildup in the brain. The location of the tumor plays an important role in the symptoms that a patient experiences. For example, if the tumor is near the occipital lobe, the patient may have problems with their vision.

Surgery is a common treatment for glioblastoma. A surgeon may decide to perform a craniotomy, which is the opening of the skull to see and remove the tumor. A physician may also decide to use stereotaxis to perform a biopsy. This is the use of a scanning device to more accurately localize where the small hole in the skull will be made. A needle will be passed through the hole to the tumor and then the sample is taken to pathology for tests.

A shunt may be placed if the tumor blocks cerebrospinal fluid (the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord). Glioblastoma can cause an excess of this cerebrospinal fluid in the ventricles, and the shunt is placed to drain it and thereby relieve excess pressure.

Besides surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, palliative care, and clinical trials are available for treatment.