Despite the fact that science regularly provides new drugs and other ways to cure ailments, cancer mortality is still high. Especially among all malignant tumors, grade 4 brain cancer stands out, since it is almost impossible to cure it. Early diagnosis of the problem is also difficult, since the tumor does not manifest itself at all until the moment when it may already be too late. In the presence of neoplasms in the head, a person can only suffer from an increase in intracranial pressure. How long do people with stage 4 brain cancer live? Only a doctor can answer this question after a complete examination of the patient.
Classification of tumors
Difficulties in diagnosing this disease are manifested in the fact that it is simply impossible to make a tissue biopsy for technical reasons. Doctors determine the presence of the disease solely by external signs, symptoms and complications, which are sometimes similar to others.ailments. Grade 4 brain cancer gives a disappointing prognosis, the risk of a sad outcome is very high. Today, doctors determine the stage of the disease according to the classification adopted in 2000 by the World He alth Organization. Previously, the presence of metastases, secondary and primary foci was used as a criterion.
4 degree varieties
How can a grade 4 brain tumor manifest itself? How long do patients with this disease live?
The disease is divided into three varieties:
- malignant neoplasm with a classic course;
- malignancy with uncharacteristic symptoms;
- malignancy is fast growing.
The last option is almost always fatal for the patient, since the rate of tumor spread is very high, and the disease is usually diagnosed in the late stages.
Signs of varieties
A grade 4 brain tumor is diagnosed by specialists and assigned to a specific subspecies according to the following criteria:
- Initially, doctors study the characteristics of neoplasm cells.
- After that, special tests calculate the rate of cell division.
- Next, experts determine how fast the cancer spreads in the blood vessels and lymph nodes.
- The last step is to count the dead cells in the tissues of the neoplasm.
If, during a detailed study of cancer, doctors did not find any of the listed criteria, then the neoplasm is considered benign. The presence ofa patient of the third or fourth sign indicates that he has cancer of the 4th degree of the brain. How long people with such a diagnosis live depends on the characteristics of the disease and the specifics of its treatment.
Flow options
It also happens that the disease does not go through all the stages of its development from the beginning, but immediately develops in the most severe form. Such an aggressive variety is glioblastoma. With this form of pathology, the prognosis is very disappointing. How long do they live with cancer of the 4th degree of the brain in the case of an aggressive course of the disease? Only a doctor can answer this question. As a rule, even with adequate treatment, this time is not more than 1 year.
Photos of grade 4 brain cancer cannot but upset. Basically, these are tomograms of sick people, where it is clearly seen that a tumor can occur in completely different areas of the nervous system and always develops with its own characteristics. The final stage of the tumor can be determined only after the removal of its primary focus and histological examination.
How the disease progresses
How long do patients with grade 4 brain cancer live? This issue must be considered individually for each specific case. The disease is quite rare and occurs in only 1 person out of a thousand. The tumor can be inherited or occur due to adverse environmental conditions. Even in the case of genetic transmission of the disease, tumor formation neverwill be the same. The focus can be localized in a completely different area than that of relatives.
If any, even the most insignificant signs, hinting at the presence of a neoplasm in the body, should immediately consult a doctor. It is the complexity of diagnosing that leads to such sad mortality statistics. The initial stages of cancer formation are rarely accompanied by any symptoms. Often, while the patient undergoes all the necessary studies, the tumor is already moving to the last stage of development, when treatment by any means can no longer give a 100% guarantee of recovery. Even taking into account these statistics, you should not give up. Of course, after treatment, a person's life changes dramatically, but if cancer is detected in time, everyone has a chance for recovery.
Principles of Therapy
Basically, all methods of treatment come down to alleviate the patient's symptoms accompanying the disease, since headaches in the last stages become simply unbearable. For their relief, experts prescribe potent narcotic drugs. Although already starting from the 3rd stage, the tumor is considered inoperable, specialists still take up treatment in more advanced cases.
There are three methods of treatment:
- chemotherapy;
- surgical treatment;
- radiotherapy.
Medicated treatment
How long do patients with grade 4 brain cancer live? Only a specialist can accurately answer this question. You should know that cancer is not treated exclusively with drugs, and this technique is aimed only at ridding the patient of the symptoms associated with the disease. The main drug in the treatment is "Prednisolone", which relieves cerebral edema. It is a glucocorticoid substance. An additional symptom in the disease may be morning sickness and vomiting, which are eliminated by taking antiemetics. Severe headaches are relieved with morphine or non-steroidal painkillers, and possible mental disorders - with sedatives, tranquilizers, etc.
Surgical treatment
Surgery is the most effective way to get rid of the tumor. Unfortunately, there is a high risk of damage to brain structures during the intervention. There are cases when surgical intervention is impossible in principle, because the neoplasm is located near an important area of the center of the nervous system or is too large. In this case, cryosurgery comes to the rescue. It makes it possible to freeze the tumor without removing it, without injuring neighboring he althy tissues at all. In the treatment of brain tumors, the gamma knife, laser and other progressive techniques are actively used.
Chemotherapy and radiation exposure
Very often these techniques are used together with surgical treatment, since such a complex effect on malignant tumors gives the best result. Administer drugs intravenously along with antiemetics, becausechemical effects on the body always provoke an upset of the digestive system.
Irradiation of cancerous tissues is performed partially or completely on the entire brain, if the tumor has already grown to a large size, and metastasis has begun. Radiation therapy is poorly tolerated by patients and must be accompanied by additional medication.
Forecasts for patients
With cancer of the 4th degree of the brain, how long do patients live? With timely diagnosis of the disease, patients always have a chance for recovery, but there are situations when the prognosis is disappointing. Such cases include glioblastoma, which manifests itself already in the last stage of development. This tumor is not amenable to treatment, it is resistant to chemical agents and radiation therapy, it grows very quickly and actively develops. Its outlines are fuzzy, so even surgery does not guarantee the complete removal of cancerous tissue. Recurrence often occurs several months after surgery.
Even modern medicine is not able to cure glioblastoma at the last stage. Patients with this diagnosis can live no more than 1 year, constantly undergoing treatment. If therapy is completely ignored, then death occurs within a few months.
Chances of recovery
When diagnosing brain cancer and assessing the general condition of the patient, doctors use the term "five-year survival rate." The condition of absolutely all patients with a malignant tumor is assessed, regardless of what course of treatment they were prescribed. With a well-chosen treatment program, some patients survive beyond the five-year threshold, but in most cases they need permanent treatment.
According to statistics, only about 35% of brain cancer patients will continue to live normally after therapy. If the tumor has given complications, the prognosis is less encouraging, since only 5% of patients survive.
Even with a glioblastoma in the body, a person has a chance for a full recovery, but only if the tumor is detected in the initial stages of development. Late diagnosis always has sad consequences, so patients and their relatives should be given maximum psychological support. The tumor, growing, disrupts the functioning of the nervous system, provokes severe headaches and makes a person absolutely helpless.
With grade 4 brain cancer, how do patients die? In fact, it is painful, it is very difficult for relatives to survive such a spectacle. Patients constantly suffer from unbearable headaches, which in recent days do not go away even after taking the drugs. Their mental activity is completely disturbed.
In order not to face such a problem, especially if one of the relatives was previously diagnosed with cancer, it is necessary to periodically undergo a comprehensive examination. If there are severe headaches, nausea, or other likely signs of a tumor, you should immediately go to the doctor. Always watch yourhe alth, because it cannot be bought for any money.
