Are Glioblastoma Multiform (GBM) brain tumors different or the same as Astrocytoma brain tumors?
The following response is from the American Brain Tumor Association: Any tumor that arises from the glial, or supportive, tissue of the brain is called a “glioma.” One type of glioma is the astrocytoma. Astrocytomas are named after astrocytes, the star-shaped cells from which they grow. Astrocytomas are graded to describe their degree of abnormality. The most common grading system uses a scale of I to IV. On that scale, grade I tumors tend to be benign and grade IV tumors are the most malignant. Or, tumors may be grouped by their rate of growth: low-grade (slow growth), mid-grade (moderate growth), and high-grade (rapid growth). Astrocytomas often contain a mix of cell grades. The word “anaplastic” means malignant. An anaplastic astrocytoma is a grade III, or mid-grade, tumor. Ananaplastic astrocytoma that contains dead tumor cells (necrosis) is called a glioblastoma multiforme. That is a grade IV tumor. “Glioblastoma,” “glioblastoma multiforme,” “grade IV astrocytoma,” and “GBM” are a
