Brain Cancer Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Brain Cancer, including details on symptoms, benign and malignant tumors, gliomas, treatment.

Some speculation on the origin of glioblastoma.

Quigley MR, Post C, Ehrlich G

Division of Neuro-Oncology, Department of Neurosurgery and Center for Genomic Science, Allegheny General Hospital, Pittsburgh, PA 15212, USA. q@mattquigley.com

Glioblastoma, the most common primary brain tumor, is also the most deadly, with median survival of about one year, which is little improved over the last five decades. Its pathogenesis is a vexing problem. Despite extensive basic and clinical scientific research, little is known regarding the cause of this disease, the genetic factors which drive its course, or any strategies which may result in effective treatment. This persistent resistance to understanding suggests to the authors that some of the fundamental assumptions regarding the disease are likely to be flawed, and that a new paradigm must be sought to replace them. This manuscript is a review of some of what is known regarding this disease, and then presents a series of hypotheses which compromise an alternative view of glioblastoma.

Published 30 November 2006 in Neurosurg Rev, 30(1): 16-20; discussion 20-1.
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