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Early Signs of Glioblastoma: What Unusual Symptoms Can You Recognize?
Glioblastoma, formerly known as glioblastoma multiforme, has been recognized as one of the most aggressive and common types of cancer that originates in the brain. The prognosis for this cancer is generally very poor, with patients surviving relatively short, averaging only 10 to 13 months. Because early symptoms are fairly nonspecific, glioblastoma often develops silently before patients realize the condition is worsening.
Early symptoms
Early signs of glioblastoma are mostly nonspecific. Common symptoms include:
Headache, personality changes, nausea, seizures, and stroke-like symptoms.
The nature of these early symptoms can make them easily confused with other, more common health problems. As the disease progresses, symptoms will worsen and may even lead to loss of consciousness. According to medical experts, tumors in the brain sometimes grow to very large sizes before they develop noticeable symptoms.
Diagnosis process
The diagnosis of glioblastoma usually requires comprehensive judgment through CT scan, MRI, and tissue biopsy. On MRI scans, these tumors often show a ring-shaped area of enhancement, which is not specific because many other lesions, such as abscesses or metastatic tumors, may show similar features.
Potential risk factors
The cause of glioblastoma is unknown, but research points to certain potential risk factors, including:
Hereditary diseases (such as neurofibromatosis, Li–Fraumeni syndrome), previous radiation therapy, and exposure to certain environmental factors (such as smoking, pesticides, etc.).
For most cases, the exact cause remains elusive. Although certain genetic mutations have been proposed to be associated with this type of cancer, no definitive preventive strategies have been identified to date.
Treatment Options
Treatment of glioblastoma usually relies on surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. After surgery, doctors will usually choose chemotherapy drugs, such as:
Temozolomide is a commonly used chemotherapy drug.
High-dose steroids may also be used to reduce tumor compression and control symptoms. Despite maximum treatment, the recurrence rate of cancer is quite high, and many patients face tumor recurrence even after surgery.
Patient survival rate
According to relevant surveys, the average survival time of glioblastoma patients who receive standard treatment is about 14 months, while patients who do not receive treatment can expect to survive for only three months at most. Studies of survival have found that less than 5-10% of patients are expected to survive within five years.
Conclusion
As a highly aggressive cancer, the early signs of glioblastoma are both vague and difficult to detect. In addition to regular health checkups and prompt medical attention when unusual symptoms are noticed, what other effective methods can help detect glioblastoma in its early stages?
