A new Mayo Clinic study found that patients with low-grade gliomas survived longest when they underwent aggressive surgeries to successfully remove the entire tumor. If safely removing the entire tumor was not possible, patients survived significantly longer when surgery was followed by radiation therapy.
“This study is exciting because it shows how well glioma patients can do after surgery – an average of 15 years tumor-free is better than any previously published results,” says Nadia Laack, M.D., a Mayo Clinic radiation oncologist and lead author of this study. “It is also exciting to discover that patients can benefit from radiation therapy. It not only lengthens the time before the tumor comes back, it actually improves the length of time people live.”
This study is now available online as an advance publication in Neuro-Oncology.
Dr. Laack describes the study and current treatment options at Mayo Clinic:
5 Comments
My friend has a grade 4 glioblastoma and he is 53 yrs old. He has has it removed and is now on radiation and chemo–pill. They give him 8-18mths to live. Is there any other answer or help available? He is having his treatment in Pittsburgh in one of the best oncology units possible…but that is not enough for us…he is way to precious for us to lose him so early..please give me anything we can hold onto..
Dawn A
Dear Dawn,
Your friend has a more aggressive brain tumor than what is described in this article. There are many factors that determine prognosis in glioblastoma but age and your friend’s overall health and function are some of the most important. We do see a few patients who are alive 4 and 5 years out after their initial treatment and they are generally people like your friend who are young, were able to have aggressive surgical removal of the tumor, and are in good physical shape after surgery. It sounds like your friend is being treated with the current standard therapy. However, we feel that all patients with glioblastoma should be treated on clinical trials since even standard therapy is not usually able to provide a cure. Encourage your friend to ask about clinical trials in his area or contact a larger cancer center that has clinical trials available.
You can view clinical trials available at Mayo Clinic at: http://clinicaltrials.mayo.edu/clinicalTrialSubTheme.cfm?subtheme=Glioblastoma%20Multiforme
Sincerely,
Nadia N. Laack, MD MS
Assistant Professor
Radiation Oncology
Mayo Clinic
Good day Dr Laack,
I am in South Africa, my brother, 48, has been diagnosed in Canada with: Solitary right hemisphere lesion in appearence typical of a glioblastome Multiform. The mass mesures 56 x 26 mm.
He is meeting the neurosurgent tomorrow. He is normaly a man with a good health.
Will the Drs also go for surgery and then is radio. of help to him.
Are there any chances that there is something else?
He is so young!!!
Thanks a million and keep well.
My wife had an Oligodendroglioma, grade 2, removed from her left temporal lobe about 4.5 years ago by Dr. Meyers at Mayo. The surgery was done “awake” and was considered a maximum resection. To date she shows no signs of recurring tumor growth. Much thanks to the surgeon and staff at Mayo.
However, she has had extreme emotional difficulties since surgery. Especially the first 3 years after the operation. She’s better now but has some loss of memory and cognitive function. Prior to surgery she was a successful Real Estate agent but her impairments don’t allow her to function at that level any longer. We’ve had no success finding a doctor in our area (Kansas City) that understands her post op condition and how to treat it. She still has emotional swings and some small seizures each month even though she’s on Depakote. These seizures seem to occur primarily during or near ovulation or menastration.
Have any of the other patients of Mayo, with a tumor removal from the left temporal lobe, reported such emotional problems post op?
Thanks,
Gary
dear sir,
>
> i m a brain tumor cancer patient.i have consulted many
> doctors here
>
> in pakistan but there is no such progress yet.therfore i
> kindly need an
>
> apponitment from ur hospital. thanking u in anticipation,
> saleem khan