Abstract
Glioblastoma is one of the deadliest brain tumors. It is commonly found among adults (more commonly in men) over 50 years old. Children and younger adults are susceptible to another, less aggressive form of glioblastoma. This tumor part of the astrocytomas family and is initially formed from glial cells in the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain. It differs significantly from other brain tumors in terms of how quickly the cells grow, how often the tumors recur, and the treatment options. Symptoms include headaches, dizziness, confusion, and seizures. Doctors can test the patients for whether or not they have the tumor through MRIs, biopsies, and CT scans. Following diagnosis, patients undergo a craniotomy, followed by chemotherapy …show more content…
Primary glioblastoma is the most commonly diagnosed among the two, and is often found in patients who are older. They tend to form more quickly and usually occurs from other lower-grade tumors, known as oligodendrogliomas (American Association of Neurological Surgeons). Secondary glioblastoma affects younger people and, despite not growing as quickly as primary glioblastoma, it is still a pretty aggressive tumor (American Brain Tumor Association). Due to how rapidly the cell growth is and how cancerous this brain tumor is, patients on average are given 3 months to 18 months to live (Moore and Kim). Despite technological advancements and improved research, the probability that a patient lives beyond one year after initial diagnosis is less than 20% (Ray-Chaudhury), which has led many scientists to find alternative methods to the …show more content…
A recent study conducted at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) showed that there is a specific enzyme within glioblastoma cells that is known to break down glycine (GLDC), an amino acid (Trafton). The study mentions that there is a gene located within the tumor cells, known as SHMT2. This gene generates glycine from another amino acid called serine (Trafton). Since these cells are highly dependent on glycine, once the enzyme that produces glycine is blocked, then all these cells die