Glioblastoma (IV WHO)

kitano · New User Joined: 15 Oct 2008 Posts: 3 Location: Italy

September 6th, my mother (59 years old) was diagnosed a GBM.
September 13th, surgery. The lesion (superficial) has been removed completely (100%).
September 27, she has been discharged from the hospital.
Now she is fine. No neurological deficit.
She has already completed a first cycle of chemotherapy (Temodal): 5 days of treatment and 28 days of pause. Soon she will begin the radiotherapy with a second chemotherapy cycle. Then a month break of chemo and on to the 5/28 schedule of Temodal for 6 (or 12) months.

I would have some questions on the disease.
1) With the total resection and with the standard treatments, there are good perspectives of absence of the disease?
2) In the medical literature are documented cases of long absence of the disease (no recurrences), although the Glioblastoma is highly aggressive?

You excuse me for my English.
Best Regards.

brainman · Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2008 3:09 am Post subject: Re: Glioblastoma (IV WHO)

Hi kitano, your English is great!

I am very sorry about your mother's cancer. My mother did of a GBM just over 10 years ago... 2 months after her diagnosis. But by the time they found it, it was too large for any treatment and she was 25 years older than your mother.

The problem with GBM is that is is not one solid mass. It is more like an octopus with tentacles going out in all directions. In order to truly remove 100%, the surgeon needs to remove a very large part of the healthy brain. Often, even this misses some cancer cells. That is why your mother is on chemotherapy even though they say they removed 100%.

I have only heard of one case on this forum of someone living over 5 years after a GBM diagnosis. The last statistics I saw was less than 1% live more than 5%. It is very aggressive and just a few cells can grow back rapidly.

However, as I often say about prognosis, it is just a number. If my original prognosis had been correct, I would have died at least 5 years ago. I do like to know my prognosis but only in order to set some goals for the things I still would like to do with whatever time I have left. After setting those realistic goals, I try to just set aside my prognosis and live each day working to achieve those goals. My advice to you is to help your mother make the most of this time. She will very likely have some good days and some bad days.

Please, keep us informed. You and your mother are in my thoughts and prayers.
_________________
Jim
Site Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
1992 Astrocytoma grade 2, left motor strip
2005 Recurrence this time said to be an Oligodendoglioma grade 3, same location.
My Story Part 1: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=7350
My Story Part 2: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=8029
Blog http://jimhawkinsport.blogspot.com/

kitano · New User Joined: 15 Oct 2008 Posts: 3 Location: Italy

Thank you for the answer.
I will post the updates!
See you soon! God bless you and your family!

kitano · New User Joined: 15 Oct 2008 Posts: 3 Location: Italy

I have three questions on histology analysis's outcome.

1) Anti-Ki67 (clone MIB-1): 18% of neoplastic cells.

Q: It is high?

2) Method F.I.S.H.
1p ratio 1p36/1q25 = 0,81: Absence of deletion 1p.
19q ratio 19q13/19p13 = 0,51: Presence of deletion 19q.

Q: This outcome can limit the Temodal's benefits?

3) I have found in internet this file of Arup Laboratories.
"DETECTION OF 1P AND/OR 19Q DELETIONS BY
FLUORESCENT IN SITU HYBRIDIZATION (FISH)
(Methodology) [...] Neoplasms containing a 1p36/1q25 gene ratio less than 0.88 are considered to be deleted for 1p36.
Neoplasms containing a 19q13/19p13 gene ratio less than 0.74 are considered to be deleted for 19q13."

Q: According to the data published, the histology analysis's outcome would go revalued? Or not?

brainman · Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2008 11:45 am Post subject: Re: Glioblastoma (IV WHO)

1) I am not familiar with Anti-Ki67 and I thought a new most everything about brain cancers Laughing

I am not sure if the percentage of neoplastic cells makes much of at difference except to show how much of the sample was cancer cells.

2) and 3) are related. These results are mixed. They are referring to the 1p/19q gene deletions. In people where these are deleted, chemotherapy works a little better... not much but statistically better. Especially since you do have one of the genes deleted, your medical team will probably continue on with the plan to use chemotherapy. I do not think they will test it again but it probably will not make that great of a difference in terms of what they do. I did not have the gene deletion and still responded well to chemotherapy.

Great questions Smile

_________________
Jim
Site Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
1992 Astrocytoma grade 2, left motor strip
2005 Recurrence this time said to be an Oligodendoglioma grade 3, same location.
My Story Part 1: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=7350
My Story Part 2: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=8029
Blog http://jimhawkinsport.blogspot.com/

	Cancer Forums Forum Index -> Brain Tumors Forum	All times are GMT - 5 Hours
Page 1 of 1

A website for discussions about any type of cancer, including lung cancer, breast cancer, mesothelioma, prostate cancer, laryngeal cancer, leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma and others