Expert: Claes-Gustaf Nordquist, M.D. - 6/18/2010

Question
My father in law is 69 and diagnosed with a GBM IV March 2010.  Since then he has had surgery, radiation for 15 days which is now done and chemo for 15 days and now will be 5 consecutive out of every 4 weeks. He does have some speach difficulties and prior to the treatments his short term memory was also going which now has improved.  My question is, can you give me a rough idea how this tumor progresses and what to look for next in what stages?  The tumor is located on the left side temporal lobe.

Answer
Unfortunately the prognosis of this kind of tumor is always VERY bad regardless of treatment. What treatment can do is temporarily reduce symptoms and prolong survival time. But even with this treatment his survival time will probably not be much longer than one year or so. Over time he may develop stroke like symptoms and even epileptic fits. He will become more and more confused and sleep more and more. When he sleeps all the time his end will be near. He will then drift into a coma and then pass away. There will be little pain - if any. Unfortunately there will not be much to look for, these changes will just be far too evident. I'm sorry I have nothing better to tell you!




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