Many forms of cancer today are incurable, such as glioblastoma of the brain. How to die with such a terrible diagnosis is better not to know to anyone, but that is why many are interested in how to deal with this disease and what needs to be done in the first place.
What is glioblastoma?
The most malignant and aggressive tumor that can develop inside the cranium is glioblastoma of the brain. The photo below shows that the disease and the methods of treatment used change the appearance of a person almost beyond recognition.
According to statistics, the disease most often affects men 35-55 years old, but women, of course, are also not safe, a notorious example is the disease of the famous Russian singer Zhanna Friske.
Glioblastoma arises as a result of abnormal reproduction of stellate glial cells — astrocides. There is no clear boundary between the affected and healthy cells, which makes this type of tumor the most dangerous and difficult to operate.
The tumor rapidly grows into the brain tissue, while the brain glioblastoma develops almost imperceptibly and asymptomatically in the patient. As healthy cells die, quickly becoming involved in the process of genetic change and becoming atypical, the doctor may examine the MRI images.
Causes of glioblastoma
The cause of malignant degeneration of brain cells can not always be established, however, several factors contributing to this process are highlighted:
- Genetic predisposition. If one of the close relatives had cancer, the risk of developing the disease increases.
- Exposure to an aggressive environment — radiation, chemicals, ionizing and electromagnetic radiation.
- Genetic changes — acquired and inborn.
- At risk are males and children.
Symptoms of the development of glioblastoma
The development of the disease is almost asymptomatic, often the tumor is completely randomly determined when undergoing examination on a completely different profile.
Today, science does not know the causes and mechanisms of the formation of such a disease as glioblastoma of the brain. How do patients die and why - there is no answer to this question yet. However, there are several signs, the manifestation of which should consult a doctor:
- drowsiness and dizziness;
- persistent headaches ;
- violation of fine motor skills;
- visual impairment, hallucinations;
- numbness in the limbs;
- gradual speech impairment;
- difficulty concentrating;
- sharp and frequent mood swings;
- loss of appetite, and, as a result, severe weight loss.
Glioblastoma Classification
The World Health 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 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.
- Multiform glioma is the most common and most aggressive form of cancer. It is characterized by spontaneous and rapid development, can reach gigantic proportions before the first symptoms appear.
The degree of development of the disease
Like any cancer, it is divided by the degree of malignancy and glioblastoma. The degrees allocated by WHO are as follows:
- The first degree is the mildest form of the disease, without signs of malignancy. The tumor develops slowly, healthy cells are not affected rapidly. The forecasts of the doctors are the best, the chances of recovery are great.
- The second degree — the cells have atypical signs, but the tumor develops slowly, the formation is the least malignant. With untimely detection of a tumor, the disease goes into a more severe stage, this is 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.
- The third degree — passes without necrotic processes, but is malignant and grows rapidly, invading healthy brain tissue. The operation does not guarantee the desired success.
- The fourth degree — has a high growth rate and is the most complex form of cancer. The boundaries of the tumor are difficult to identify, therefore, surgical removal is almost impossible. Doctors often refuse surgery, for fear of causing even greater harm to the patient.
Diagnostics
MRI and CT are the most informative methods for diagnosing a disease such as glioblastoma of the brain. Photos obtained after the procedure allow us to determine the size of the tumor and the place of its localization.
Sometimes a special contrast agent is introduced to the patient, which makes it possible to discern the entire vascular system and the degree of its damage in the pictures.
To obtain the most complete picture of the disease, a biopsy is done — a histological examination of a fragment of the brain. A biopsy is a rather complicated neurosurgical operation performed under general anesthesia. If the tumor is located deep in the brain tissue, a biopsy is made impossible.
Once diagnosed with gliblastoma, the patient's life span significantly extends.
Treatment
After collecting all the tests and an accurate diagnosis, the doctor prescribes treatment for each patient individually. Be sure to take into account factors such as the patient's age, general health, 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 treatment. Infected cells are completely removed, sometimes healthy areas are captured to prevent the development of the tumor.In order to better vocalize the borders of the tumor, the patient is injected with a contrast agent before the operation, which, under certain lighting conditions, gives the neoplasm more precise contours.
- Chemotherapy is a medical treatment and is carried out after surgery. Serves for the prevention of 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 concentrates directly in the lesion, with minimal damage to healthy tissue.
In the complex, all these types of treatment help to achieve complete deliverance from such a complex disease as glioblastoma, the life expectancy of terminally ill patients is also significantly extended. Treatment takes a long period of time and requires exact adherence to all medical recommendations, including strictly diet.
Forecast
Unfortunately, with such a serious illness as glioblastoma of the brain, the prognosis of life can sometimes be disappointing. Life expectancy after removal of the tumor is two to three years. With glioblastoma multiforme, death occurs after 30-40 weeks.
A number of complex neurological defects cause a severe degree of damage, which provides glioblastoma of the brain. How do patients die? Basically, this is a heavy death, accompanied by excruciating headaches and impaired mental activity, and the ability to self-care is also lost. In this case, medicine can only provide palliative care.
Relapse occurs in approximately 80% of cases after treatment.
Nevertheless, for a significant extension of the forecast period, first of all, the desire of the patient himself is required. A timely diagnosis, coupled with the strength of a person’s will, stamina and a desire to fight, increase the chances of the effectiveness of the treatment, give hope for a normal and fulfilling life.