Questions about GBM

roy06 · New User Joined: 13 Feb 2007 Posts: 1

I recently found out that a good friend of mine was diagnosed with GBM grade IV. His wife is the only person with him, and some of her updates have been confusing. I assume it is because she is understandably very upset and perhaps not registering everything she is told. I was hoping someone here could maybe shed some light on what I have heard his prognosis to be so far. He had surgery to remove the tumor from his left temporal lobe yesterday, and they were told today that it is indeed a GBM. Shortly after that, she said she was told there was an off chance that it might actually be grade III. I'm guessing this is because they are waiting for the results to come back? The doctor told her he had several weeks to a year left to live. I know that the outcome for GBMs are grim, but do doctors usually give life expectancies like that? She also said they were planning on doing radiation treatment, everyday for 13 weeks and then chemo, which to seems like pretty aggressive treatment. Does anyone know if that much radiation is normal procedure? I know his chance of survival after a year is low, but would they bother doing such aggressive radiation if they thought he had little chance to live more than a few months? Also, how functional are people that are going through this type of treatment generally? He is in his 50s. I have also seen a lot mentioned about gamma knife surgery. Under what conditions do they use this form of treatment? Thank you for any information anyone can provide. I have read website after website on the condition, but it is not nearly the same as information from someone who has been there.

mixednuts · New User Joined: 28 Jan 2007 Posts: 9

My mother is 54 and had her tumor removed 2 weeks ago. She has GBM IV. She will be beginning 6-7 weeks of chemo/radiation. 5 days on, 2 days off. This is the standard treatment for GBM. I can only imagine 13 weeks is being recommended if the tumor was highly advanced and perhaps could not be fully removed. It should be noted after she finishes the 6-7 weeks of radiation/chemo, she will still do 5 days of chemo every 28. Hope this helps. You should find out why the prognosis is so grim. Typical prognosis for GBM IV is 6-9 months, however, with the treatment my mother will be doing, it should be significantly lengthened.

Also important in prognosis is how much function is still left in the person. Can he still speak, think, remember things (short and long term), move both sides of the body?

brunette · Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 5:56 am Post subject: Re: Questions about GBM

Hi there, my mum was diagnosed with a grade 4 gbm in August 2006. It was in-operable and she had 6 weeks radiotherapy.

Chemo was mentioned, but she has gone downhill so quickly that no more treatment will be given. Her short term memory has gone and she hasnt been out of a hospital bed since Boxing Day. Shes catheterised and having a morphine based drug for her pain.

I know everyones case is different bit I think generally the outlook is the same....not good Im afraid.

Best wishes xx Jen.

sara pokrass · Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 7:47 am Post subject: Re: Questions about GBM

Hi, my mother in law had vision changes starting in the summer '06 but
was diagnosed by tumor biopsy in Nov. 2006 with GBM. It was inoperable
but we were given a 6-10 month prognosis with radiation. Unfortunately
her decline was so rapid she never even got to the point of receiving radiation. From Thanksgiving to New Years she became bedbound, lost coherent speech, lost vision and mostly slept. We took her home with hospice home care and me doing heavy duty nursing care for 3 weeks.
On Feb. 5 she was readmitted to a skilled facility for sudden unexpected changes (gastro-intestinal bleeding) and rapdidly declined with total body
swelling with fluid. Sun. for the first time in months she became alert,
eyes open all day, trying to talk, crying. She was very distressed and
they increased pain control medicine. Monday she was peaceful and calm sleeping. She passed away yesterday, calmly quietly sleeping. From
Nov. until Feb. it has been the fastest ( and in some eays slowest) time.We
had been given a 3-6 month prognosis in Jan. She lived exactly one month.
_________________
snep

michelesmith · Experienced user Joined: 28 Oct 2005 Posts: 72

I hate to continue the grim outlook, but we also thought we would have 1 to 2 years with treatment. We were on the standard temodar w/ radiation. Dad did experience a brief, about 2 months where he seemed to be improving, but only lived 4 months past diagnosis. Part of the reason for the aggressive treatment is to help with the swelling and hopfefully shrink the tumor somewhat. It is to help with the pallative care side and lessen the pain and symptoms they are going through, not so much as a means of prolonging life and definitely not a "cure". The cyerknife can be used for some tumors generally less than 2 cm in size. For us it was not an option. We were well about 5 cm at time of diagnosis. As far as the condition during the time of treatment, if seems this greatly varies with the individual and also from day to day.

The www.brainhospice.com website is one of the best as far as general symptoms and timelines goes.

I wish your friend the best of outcomes and many days of quality life as he fights this awful disease.
With love and prayers,
Michele
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Michele

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