Glioblastoma: what it is, how it presents and how it is treated

Glioblastoma is among the most aggressive primary brain tumours to occur in adults. The signs of the disease vary depending on the area of the brain affected by the tumour.

Possible manifestations include headaches, seizures, speech disorders, problems with vision or memory, behavioural changes, and difficulties with movement. All of these symptoms depend on the region of the brain in which the tumour develops.

How treatment is determined

The treatment plan for glioblastoma is personalised for each patient by a multidisciplinary medical team. As a rule, it includes a neurosurgical procedure aimed at removing the tumour as completely as possible, whilst keeping the patient safe. Surgery is typically followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

The overall therapeutic approach has a twofold purpose: on one hand, keeping the disease under control, and on the other, preserving essential neurological functions — speech, movement, memory, and vision.

Advances in treatment

Although glioblastoma remains a highly malignant disease, developments in neurosurgery, imaging, and radiotherapy now make increasingly precise approaches possible, tailored to each individual case.

In situations where the tumour is located in sensitive areas of the brain or cannot be fully removed, doctors may turn to modern treatment methods designed to affect the surrounding healthy brain tissue as little as possible. For this reason, assessment at a specialist medical centre is an essential step in determining the most appropriate treatment strategy.

Further information about glioblastoma, its symptoms, and the available therapeutic options is provided by Dr. Dan Benția, primary care neurosurgeon at Spitalul Clinic SANADOR.