Patients

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) (also called glioblastoma) is a fast-growing glioma that develops from star-shaped glial cells (astrocytes and oligodendrocytes) that normally support the health of the nerve cells within the brain.

GBM is often referred to as a grade IV astrocytoma. These are the most invasive type of glial tumors, rapidly growing and commonly spreading into nearby brain tissue.

GBM can arise in the brain “de novo” or evolve from lower-grade astrocytomas or oligodendrogliomas. In adults, GBM occurs most often in the cerebral hemispheres, especially in the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain. GBM is a devastating brain cancer that typically results in death in the first 15 months after diagnosis.

DIPG is a type of brain tumor found in an area of the brainstem known as the pons. It primarily affects children with most diagnoses occurring between 5 and 7 years of age. It makes up 10 – 15% of all brain tumors in children, with about 150 – 300 new diagnoses per year in the US. Fewer than 10% of children survive two years from diagnosis.