What we can learn from tumor biology—and why no two glioblastomas are exactly alike
Glioblastoma continues to be among the most difficult brain cancers to manage. As the most common and aggressive form, it has historically been approached as a single disease, with most patients receiving a with a similar plan of surgery, followed by radiation and chemotherapy — known as the standard of care.
Now we are learning that the story is much more complex. Each glioblastoma has its own distinct profile, and even a single tumor can contain many different unique pathways.
This deeper look into tumor biology is changing how scientists study glioblastoma, how clinical trials are designed, and how physicians think about treatment options. The field is moving toward more personalized treatment, guided by the specific features of each patient’s tumor, rather than a single, uniform treatment approach that may not work for most patients.
When someone is diagnosed with glioblastoma, their tumor may be very different from another person’s. Some tumors have mutations, or changes, in genes like EGFR or TP53, others show MGMT promoter methylation, and still others follow uniquely different biological pathways.
These differences can affect how fast a tumor grows or how it responds to treatment.
This variation within and between glioblastoma tumors is often what scientists mean when they talk about tumor heterogeneity. It helps explain why glioblastoma can be so hard to control and why the same treatments don’t work for every patient.
Because of this complexity, researchers are shifting away from the idea of a single, uniform treatment approach. Instead, science is looking toward a more detailed view of each tumor, and personalized treatment options for glioblastoma may hold the key.
Our mission at the Glioblastoma Foundation is to support the development of targeted treatment options for glioblastoma. With the opening of our Genomic Testing Laboratory in the coming weeks, our goal is to make it possible for every glioblastoma patient to have access to genomic testing, ensuring treatment decisions are guided by each patient’s specific tumor biology.
By ensuring that every glioblastoma patient receives genomic testing soon after a new glioblastoma diagnosis, we can expand access to new treatment options for patients and determine which treatments patients will respond best to.
Genomic Testing, also called tumor profiling. uses laboratory tests to examine the molecular and genetic characteristics of a tumor. The tests offered by the Glioblastoma Foundation are tailored to glioblastoma patients to analyze DNA mutations, which genes are turned on or off, and other important features that shape how a tumor behaves and how it might respond to different treatments.
Over time, large collections of genomic data can reveal insights that lead to better questions, better trial designs, and more informed care.
For patients and caregivers, this growing focus on tumor biology and personalization highlights the importance of information and conversation. Asking whether your tumor has been profiled, what was learned from that testing, and whether any clinical trials might be relevant can help make discussions with the care team more specific and grounded in the details of an individual case. At the Glioblastoma Foundation we’re already doing that through clinical trials matching, insights through our molecular tumor board, and more. Our mission at the Glioblastoma Foundation is to ensure that every patient has access to the most comprehensive and cutting-edge genomic testing designed specifically for glioblastoma, and other brain tumors.
Receiving a glioblastoma diagnosis comes with a lot of uncertainty. Learning more about what makes your tumor different and what treatments could work for you can help you take control of the situation. Genomic testing can help remove some of the uncertainty that comes with a glioblastoma diagnosis and provide a framework for better understanding your tumor and whether there might be any targeted treatment options available to you.
If you would like to learn more about the genomic tests offered by the Glioblastoma Foundation, please complete the form below to get the most up to date information on the genomic testing we provide.
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