Glioblastoma

Glioblastomas are the most common high grade (cancerous) primary brain tumour in adults. They can also occur, rarely, in children. Glioblastomas belong to a group of brain tumours known as gliomas, as they grow from a type of brain cell called a glial cell.

Glioblastoma is the more common name for a type of brain tumour called a grade 4 astrocytoma.

Glioblastoma are 'diffuse', meaning they have threadlike tendrils that extend into other parts of the brain. They are fast growing and likely to spread. You may also hear them called glioblastoma multiforme, GBM or GBM4.

There are different types of glioblastoma:

• Primary - this means the tumour first appeared as a grade 4 glioblastoma (GBM)
• Secondary - this means the tumour developed from a lower grade astrocytoma

What causes glioblastoma?

There is nothing you could have done, or avoided doing, that would have caused you to develop a brain tumour.

As with most brain tumours, why glioblastomas begin to grow is not known. The Brain Tumour Charity is funding research into possible causes, focussed around our genes.

You can read more about how brain tumours are formed.