Many forms of cancer today are incurable, such as glioblastoma of the brain. It is better not to know how people die with such a terrible diagnosis, but that is why many are interested in how this disease can be fought and what needs to be done first.
What is glioblastoma?
The most malignant and aggressive tumor that can develop inside the skull is glioblastoma of the brain. The photo below shows that the disease and the treatments applied change the appearance of a person almost beyond recognition.
According to statistics, the disease most often affects men aged 35-55, but women, of course, are also not insured, the disease of the famous Russian singer Zhanna Friske can serve as a notorious example.
Glioblastoma occurs as a result of abnormal reproduction of stellate glial cells-astrocids. There is no clear boundary between affected and he althy cells, which makes this type of tumor the most dangerous and difficult to operate.
The tumor is rapidly growing intobrain tissue, while almost imperceptibly and asymptomatically, the patient develops glioblastoma of the brain. How he althy cells die, quickly becoming involved in the process of genetic change and becoming atypical, the doctor can see on the MRI images.
Causes of glioblastoma
The cause of the malignant degeneration of brain cells can not always be established, however, there are several factors that contribute to this process:
- Genetic predisposition. If one of the close relatives had cancer, the risk of developing the disease increases.
- Exposure to aggressive environment - radiation, chemicals, ionizing and electromagnetic radiation.
- Genetic changes - acquired and congenital.
- At risk are males and children.
Symptoms of glioblastoma development
The development of the disease is almost asymptomatic, often the tumor is detected by accident during an examination on a completely different profile.
To date, the causes and mechanisms of the formation of such a disease as glioblastoma of the brain are unknown to science. How patients die and why, there is no answer to this question yet. However, there are a few signs that should see a doctor:
- drowsiness and dizziness
- persistent headaches;
- fine motor impairment;
- visual impairment, hallucinations;
- numbness inlimbs;
- gradual speech impairment;
- difficulty concentrating;
- sharp and frequent mood swings;
- loss of appetite, resulting in severe weight loss.
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Classification of glioblastoma
The World He alth Organization has identified three types of this disease. The differences are in the degree of malignancy, the size of the tumor and a number of other criteria.
- Giant cell glioblastoma - a large number of cells containing several nuclei are found inside the neoplasm.
- Gliosarcoma-characterized by a mixture of glial and connective tissue cells with the presence of sarcomatous components.
- Glioma multiforme is the most common and most aggressive form of cancer. Characterized by spontaneous and rapid development, it can reach gigantic proportions before the first symptoms appear.
Degrees of development of the disease
Like any cancer, glioblastoma is also divided according to the degree of malignancy. The degrees allocated by WHO are as follows:
- First degree is the mildest form of the disease, with no signs of malignancy. The tumor develops slowly, he althy cells are not affected rapidly. The doctors' prognosis is the best, the chances of recovery are great.
- Second degree - cells have atypical features, but the tumor develops slowly, the formation is the least malignant. If the tumor is not detected in time, the disease passes into a more severe stage, in thisis the main danger. However, no matter how dangerous glioblastoma of the brain is, the prognosis of doctors in the second stage is the most optimistic.
- Third degree - passes without necrotic processes, but is malignant and grows rapidly, invading he althy brain tissue. The operation performed does not guarantee the desired success.
- Fourth degree - characterized by a high growth rate and is the most difficult form of cancer. The boundaries of the tumor are difficult to identify, so surgical removal is almost impossible. Doctors often refuse surgery for fear of causing even more harm to the patient.
Diagnosis
MRI and CT are the most informative methods for diagnosing a disease such as glioblastoma of the brain. Photos taken after the procedure allow you to determine the size of the tumor and its location.
Sometimes the patient is injected with a special contrast agent that allows you to see the entire vascular system and the degree of its damage in the pictures.
To obtain the most complete picture of the disease, a biopsy-histological examination of a fragment of the brain is done. A biopsy is a fairly complex neurosurgical operation, performed under general anesthesia. If the tumor is located deep in the brain tissue, a biopsy is not possible.
Timely diagnosed glyblastoma significantly prolongs the life of the patient.
Treatment
After collecting all the tests and accurate diagnosis, the doctor prescribes treatment for each patientindividually. Be sure to take into account factors such as the age of the patient, general he alth, as well as the stage of development of the process, the location and size of the tumor.
Conventionally, treatment can be divided into the following stages:
- Surgery is the most effective and radical method of treatment. Infected cells are removed completely, sometimes he althy areas are captured to prevent tumor development.
- Chemotherapy is a drug treatment and is carried out after surgery. Serves to prevent relapse.
- Radiation therapy - used in conjunction with chemotherapy. Ionizing radiation locally affects cancer cells and destroys them.
- Photodynamic therapy is a new and effective method of treating glioblastoma based on laser irradiation.
- Radiosurgery - a beam of radiation is focused directly on the lesion, with minimal damage to he althy tissue.
In order to better visualize the boundaries of the tumor, the patient is injected with a contrast agent before the operation, which, under certain lighting, gives the tumor clearer contours.
In combination, all these types of treatment help to achieve complete relief from such a complex disease as glioblastoma, the life span of terminally ill patients is also significantly extended. Treatment takes a long period of time and requires strict adherence to all medical recommendations, including a strict diet.
Forecast
Unfortunately, with such a serious disease as glioblastoma of the brain, the prognosis of life can sometimes be disappointing. Life expectancy after removal of the neoplasm is two to three years. With glioblastoma multiforme, death occurs in 30-40 weeks.
A number of complex neurological defects are caused by a severe degree of damage, which is provided by glioblastoma of the brain. How do patients die? Basically, this is a severe death, accompanied by excruciating headaches and impaired mental activity, and the ability to self-service is also lost. In this case, medicine can only provide palliative care.
About 80% of cases after treatment, relapse occurs.
Nevertheless, for a significant extension of the predictive timeframe, first of all, the desire of the patient himself is required. A timely diagnosis, coupled with a person's willpower, stamina and desire to fight, increase the chances for the effectiveness of the treatment, give hope for a normal and fulfilling life.
