Expert: Claes-Gustaf Nordquist, M.D. - 1/25/2008

Question
My father was diagnosed in October 07 with Glioblastoma.  He had a grapefruit sized tumor in his right front lobe surgically removed.  He then followed up with 6 weeks of radiation and Temodor. A few days after his radiation was completed he had a severe breathing issues and started having slow steady seizures. He also didnt recognize anyone and was out of sorts.  We rushed him to emergency and they gave him every test under the sun and couldnt find a good reason for the sudden change. It is now one week and a multitude of tests later and he lays in ICU with pnumonia in a coma close to death with no response.  No clear diagnosis. He walked in the hospital. It appears to me the testing is killing him. I fear I should have never taken him in.  Can you shed some light on this for me?

Answer
First of all, ALL glioblastoma multiforme tumors are killers! EVERY single patient with this tumor is killed by it! This is a fact regardless of therapy! All what any therapy or combination of therapies (surgery, radiation therapy & chemo therapy) can do is at best to prolong survival time to some extent and hopefully to some extent and for some time decrease symptoms. But that - like here - does not always work as it is supposed to. I do not know exactly what has happened here but the most probable thing is a vascular accident of some sort with the local blood supply being cut off. Well if you had not taken him in  it would just surely kill him some other way! I'm sorry I have nothing better to tell you!