glioblastoma multiforme

Panamagirl
Panamagirl Member Posts: 11
edited March 2014 in Brain Cancer #1
Does anyone know if this is genetic? It is scary to not have the answers. Mom was told November 2, 2009 and 70 days later January 11, 2010 I no longer have her. I have lost my dad (46) of a heart attack, my brother (50) heart attack now my mother (75)of GBM.

I have read so many of these post and cannot figure out why she went so fast. She did radiation was suppose to have 15 treatments but was only able to get through 8 before the doctor told us to call Hospice.

Does anyone know why it seems like most post are 5 years or one has gone 10 years and I am so happy for them but left wondering if she should have tried other options or why didn't the doctors push other options. Not that she would have tried them.

Back to my original question is this something I need to worry about for me, my sisters or our children?

Comments

  • MAJW
    MAJW Member Posts: 2,510 Member
    #2
    So very sorry..........
    I am so sorry for your loss......Perhaps by the time your Mom receieved her diagnosis the glio was already quite advanced........we lost a dear friend to a glio 4 years ago....he never had any symptoms until he suffered a seizure.....his tumor was quite large by then...He had surgery and to make a long story short, he never left the hospital......he died 3 weeks later......

    Now on a different note, MY best friend, she is 51 was diagnosed with a glioblastoma multiforme stage IV in Oct of 2008...She reported what she thought were two very benign symptoms to her family doctor.....he told her those were not normal happenings and ordered and MRI for that day..by that evening they knew she had a small mass......surgery comfirmed a glioblastoma.....She has had two surgeries......radiation and has been on Termador for 16 months.....has done fairly well.......clean MRI's until this past week.....her tumor is back.....They are now exploring their options......IT's a devestating diagnosis, yet some have lived many years with them.......

    Again, I am so sorry for your loss.....I understand how painful it is to lose your parents....
    Peace be with you
  • Panamagirl
    Panamagirl Member Posts: 11
    #3
    MAJW said:

    So very sorry..........
    I am so sorry for your loss......Perhaps by the time your Mom receieved her diagnosis the glio was already quite advanced........we lost a dear friend to a glio 4 years ago....he never had any symptoms until he suffered a seizure.....his tumor was quite large by then...He had surgery and to make a long story short, he never left the hospital......he died 3 weeks later......

    Now on a different note, MY best friend, she is 51 was diagnosed with a glioblastoma multiforme stage IV in Oct of 2008...She reported what she thought were two very benign symptoms to her family doctor.....he told her those were not normal happenings and ordered and MRI for that day..by that evening they knew she had a small mass......surgery comfirmed a glioblastoma.....She has had two surgeries......radiation and has been on Termador for 16 months.....has done fairly well.......clean MRI's until this past week.....her tumor is back.....They are now exploring their options......IT's a devestating diagnosis, yet some have lived many years with them.......

    Again, I am so sorry for your loss.....I understand how painful it is to lose your parents....
    Peace be with you

    Thank you
    I guess. She too never had any symptoms until she could not get out what she was trying to say. I look at this site and it makes me realize how many people are dealing with cancer or someone with cancer. I never knew the amount of people going through all of this. My heart goes out to each one and I do wish I could help them all.

    I am greatful to know your friend is doing well my prayer is she will continue until they find a cure or her cancer is completely gone.

    Peace be with you and all those touched by cancer.
  • Panamagirl
    Panamagirl Member Posts: 11
    #4
    MAJW said:

    So very sorry..........
    I am so sorry for your loss......Perhaps by the time your Mom receieved her diagnosis the glio was already quite advanced........we lost a dear friend to a glio 4 years ago....he never had any symptoms until he suffered a seizure.....his tumor was quite large by then...He had surgery and to make a long story short, he never left the hospital......he died 3 weeks later......

    Now on a different note, MY best friend, she is 51 was diagnosed with a glioblastoma multiforme stage IV in Oct of 2008...She reported what she thought were two very benign symptoms to her family doctor.....he told her those were not normal happenings and ordered and MRI for that day..by that evening they knew she had a small mass......surgery comfirmed a glioblastoma.....She has had two surgeries......radiation and has been on Termador for 16 months.....has done fairly well.......clean MRI's until this past week.....her tumor is back.....They are now exploring their options......IT's a devestating diagnosis, yet some have lived many years with them.......

    Again, I am so sorry for your loss.....I understand how painful it is to lose your parents....
    Peace be with you

    Thank you
    I guess. She too never had any symptoms until she could not get out what she was trying to say. I look at this site and it makes me realize how many people are dealing with cancer or someone with cancer. I never knew the amount of people going through all of this. My heart goes out to each one and I do wish I could help them all.

    I am greatful to know your friend is doing well my prayer is she will continue until they find a cure or her cancer is completely gone.

    Peace be with you and all those touched by cancer.
  • Panamagirl
    Panamagirl Member Posts: 11
    #5
    MAJW said:

    So very sorry..........
    I am so sorry for your loss......Perhaps by the time your Mom receieved her diagnosis the glio was already quite advanced........we lost a dear friend to a glio 4 years ago....he never had any symptoms until he suffered a seizure.....his tumor was quite large by then...He had surgery and to make a long story short, he never left the hospital......he died 3 weeks later......

    Now on a different note, MY best friend, she is 51 was diagnosed with a glioblastoma multiforme stage IV in Oct of 2008...She reported what she thought were two very benign symptoms to her family doctor.....he told her those were not normal happenings and ordered and MRI for that day..by that evening they knew she had a small mass......surgery comfirmed a glioblastoma.....She has had two surgeries......radiation and has been on Termador for 16 months.....has done fairly well.......clean MRI's until this past week.....her tumor is back.....They are now exploring their options......IT's a devestating diagnosis, yet some have lived many years with them.......

    Again, I am so sorry for your loss.....I understand how painful it is to lose your parents....
    Peace be with you

    Thank you
    I guess. She too never had any symptoms until she could not get out what she was trying to say. I look at this site and it makes me realize how many people are dealing with cancer or someone with cancer. I never knew the amount of people going through all of this. My heart goes out to each one and I do wish I could help them all.

    I am greatful to know your friend is doing well my prayer is she will continue until they find a cure or her cancer is completely gone.

    Peace be with you and all those touched by cancer.
  • ShowMeFellow
    ShowMeFellow Member Posts: 18
    #6
    Not Inherited
    Panamagirl,...
    First of all, my heart goes out to you -- along with the huge and remaining part of my brain that's not in a refrigerator at Mayo's. This is not the way The End Game is supposed to go.

    Immediately concerned for my kids, ages 40 and 38, and knowing that would be the question on their minds, that's the second thing I asked the diagnosing neurosurgeon. He told me that GBMs are not inherited, nor are they caused by anything I'd have ingested or inhaled, no "thinking of impure thoughts." Although I do remember the day 52 years ago when I discovered my older brother's cache of Playboy magazines in the feed room of the barn! But no: GBMs, insofar as the current research has pushed back the frontier, seem only to be an unfortunate roll of The Cosmic Dice. Lucky me.

    I did, early on and before I decided that time was too precious to be spent combing the internet for oncology research papers, read a piece that suggested that there might be seven genes the presence of which correlated to a somewhat but slightly elevated susceptibility for brain cancers. Okay. That, and a dollar, will get me a cup of coffee at the cafe where I sit at The Liars' Table three mornings a week,... and talk to other residents of Cancervivorville about how we're holding up.

    Ted.
  • Irene626
    Irene626 Member Posts: 21
    #7
    very sorry...
    the doctors say it is not genetic..but if many people in your family have had it or some form of cancer they do reccomend genetic testing...my mom has gbm grade 4....and many of her aunts have died from some form of cancer...but my mom is the first in the family with gbm... so my family and I have also wondered about inheriting it..my dads side has no one with cancer....my mom is 65...older like your mom...her doctor said that their age plays a big part in how well they will deal with the disease..and how there health was before diagnoses...my mom has been having a hard time ...she had surgery to remove part of it in december 2009..and was diagnosed in jan 2010 with gbm..she did radiation and 42 days of low dose temodar..she did well..but once she started the monthly maintenance higher dose temodar she got very sick...ended up in the hospital..they told us that people who are her age or older have 18 months to live with this monster with treatment...but i think some just dont take well to it and its hard on them...alot of doctors wont push for certain treatments..but i do alot of research and i ask the doctor if she can do this or that......its horrible to have to go through this and im sorry u had to see your mom go through that..i can definitely feel your pain im going through it right now....but your mom is an angel now and is not in pain anymore....thats the only way i can deal with the fact that eventually my mom will lose her battle...that she will be in a better place...
  • danielgharper
    danielgharper Member Posts: 13
    #8
    Are GBMs and Astrocytomas genetic?
    In my research I've found that brain cancer cells, or at least astrocytomas (made up of astrocyte cells), can be caused by heredity or DNA mutations, this usually isn't the problem. I've been told (and I researched this before believing it), that these tumors are usually caused by mutagenic chemicals or carcinogens we are exposed to in the environment or from things we have done. For example, I had a GBM that came back. A few doctors along with myself, think it was caused by chemicals that have been stored in my brain, ever since I sprayed chemicals while I worked at a greenhouse for 3 years in college. That is probably why it came back, the problem was never addressed.

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