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Approximately 10% of cancerous brain tumors are “primary” tumors – tumors originating in the brain. They are basically brain tissue with mutated DNA that aggressively grows and displaces or replaces normal brain tissue.
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 MRI image of advanced GBM tumor |
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The most common of these tumors are gliomas, which is cancer of the glial cells of the brain. Of these, Grade IV glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) and anaplastic astrocytoma (AA) are the most aggressive and threatening to life and/or quality of life.
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Most of the time primary tumors appear as single masses, although they can often be quite large, irregularly-shaped, multi-lobed and/or infiltrated into surrounding brain tissue.
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Primary tumors are usually not diagnosed until the patient presents with symptoms, such as headache, altered behavior, sensory impairment, etc. At that time the tumor may already be large and aggressive.
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 GBM tumors exhibit rapid growth
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Median survival for GBM patients is less than 12 months from diagnosis; less than 36 months for AA patients.
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Brain Cancer
