Glioblastoma

A glioblastoma is a form of brain tumor that can be difficult to treat. If you develop any symptoms, visit the board-certified neurosurgeons at Coast Neurosurgical Associates in Long Beach, California. They have considerable experience identifying and removing glioblastomas without damaging vital brain tissue. The team practices a modern approach to removal of these aggressive tumors, including microsurgical, navigation, and fluorescein-guided techniques to maximize tumor resection and improve patient outcomes. For the best available treatment, call Coast Neurosurgical Associates today or book an appointment online.

What is a glioblastoma?

A glioblastoma is a form of cancer that develops in the brain or spinal cord. It’s typically aggressive, and treatment can be challenging.

A glioblastoma forms from cells (astrocytes) that support your nerve cells. These cells mutate because of a genetic flaw, multiplying rapidly to form masses called tumors. These tumors can affect critical brain and nervous system functions.

You could develop a glioblastoma at any age, but they’re more common in older adults. Glioblastoma symptoms include headaches that worsen over time, nausea and vomiting, and seizures.

The Coast Neurosurgical Associates team specializes in making an accurate diagnosis and providing the most effective treatment available for glioblastomas.

How is a glioblastoma diagnosed?

If you have symptoms of a glioblastoma, the Coast Neurosurgical Associates team performs a thorough physical and neurological exam. They check your:

• Vision
• Hearing
• Balance
• Coordination
• Strength
• Reflexes
• Speech

Problems with any of these functions can offer your neurosurgeon clues about the location of the tumor.

The team also uses imaging procedures to get a clear look at your brain. An MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) is the most common for examining a glioblastoma. The team might also need to see specialized forms like magnetic resonance spectroscopy and functional MRI.

The results help your doctor determine the location and size of your brain tumor. Sometimes, they may do a biopsy to collect a tissue sample — this often occurs during glioblastoma surgery.

How is a glioblastoma treated?

Glioblastoma treatments include:

Surgery

Surgery involves extracting as much of the glioblastoma as safely as possible. Science and history has taught that maximizing tumor resection improves both the life-expectancy and quality of life for those affected by glioblastoma. The surgeons at Coast Neurosurgical Associates take a modern approach to these aggressive tumors including microsurgical, navigation, and fluorescein-guided techniques to maximize tumor resection. After surgery, most patients also undergo additional treatments to destroy any remaining cancer cells.

Radiation therapy

Radiation therapy uses X-ray or proton beams to kill the glioblastoma cells. It’s often used in combination with chemotherapy.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy drugs kill cancer cells. Most chemotherapy options for glioblastoma involve taking an oral medication a few days out of the month with minimal side-effects, if any. 

Tumor treating fields (TTF) therapy

Tumor treating fields (TTF) disrupt the glioblastoma cells’ ability to reproduce. It involves having electrodes on your head that create an electrical field.

Targeted drug therapy

Targeted drugs attack specific abnormalities in glioblastoma cells. This affects the tumor’s ability to get the blood and nutrients it needs.

If you have any symptoms of a glioblastoma, don’t delay in seeking an expert diagnosis at Coast Neurosurgical Associates. Call the office today or book an appointment online.