Statement of Need

Glioblastomas account for roughly 50% of all primary brain and central nervous system tumors.¹ These types of brain tumors appear to be associated with genetic alterations of several critical signaling and tumor suppressor pathways.² Symptoms of glioblastoma can vary, and a precise diagnosis often cannot be made until after resection; nevertheless, healthcare professionals should be aware of new imaging technologies that can offer more preliminary information about tumor characteristics before a management strategy is selected.

Chemotherapy continues to be used as an adjunct to surgery and irradiation, but treatments are still generally noncurative; more than 50% of patients with glioblastoma die within 18 months of diagnosis.^3,4 There is hope for improving these outcomes, however, if healthcare professionals gain a better understanding of chromosomal risk factors, new radiation therapy techniques, and strategies to overcome obstacles related to blood–brain barrier penetration.

¹ Central Brain Tumor Registry of the US (CBTRUS) data, 1998-2002.
² The Cancer Genome Atlas Research Network. Nature. 2008;455:1061-1068.
³ Fine HA. In: DeVita VT Jr., et al. Cancer: Principles and Practice of Oncology, 7th ed. Philadelphia:
    Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2000:1834-1897.
⁴ National Cancer Institute. Available at: www.cancer.gov. Accessed March 30, 2009.