about glioblastoma
Glioblastoma Facts & Figures
Glioblastoma (GBM) is one of the most complex, deadly, and treatment-resistant cancers.
14,490
More than 14,490 Americans are expected to receive a GBM diagnosis in 2023.
50.1%
GBM accounts for 50.1 percent of all primary malignant brain tumors.
65
Mean age at diagnosis is 65.
10,000
It is estimated that more than 10,000 individuals in the United States will succumb to glioblastoma every year.
6.9%
The five-year survival rate for glioblastoma patients is only 6.9 percent, and the average length of survival for glioblastoma patients is estimated to be only 8 months.
Unchanged
Survival rates and mortality statistics for GBM have been virtually unchanged for decades.
Despite first being identified in the scientific literature in the 1920’s, there have only been four drugs and one device ever approved by the FDA specifically for the treatment of glioblastoma. None of these treatments have succeeded in significantly extending patient lives beyond a few extra months.
In addition to being life-threatening, GBM – and its harsh treatments – inflict devastation upon the brain, which controls cognition, mood, behavior, and every function of every organ and body part.
Many patients will lose their ability to work, drive, and a host of other functions that contribute to one’s sense of self and independence.
Glioblastoma is also one of the more expensive cancers to treat, often leaving patients and families with major financial hardship on top of the burdens of the disease.
