Glioblastoma Case Study Essay

Brad is a 37 year old Caucasian male that entered the Emergency Department after experiencing a seizure in the middle of the night. The seizure was described by his wife as generalized, lasting approximately two minutes with tonic-clonic movements along with a loss of unconsciousness and function of his bladder. Brad reported that he has had headaches that have been unresponsive to over the counter medication over the last four month and his wife also notes that he has had an increased loss in energy and interest in normal pleasurable activities. Based off of the symptoms, his physical examination results and laboratory tests, I have diagnosed Brad with Glioblastoma multiforme, which is also known as grade IV astrocytoma. Brad appears to
Researchers speculate that genetic and immunologic abnormalities, diet, stress, and environmental factors, such as exposure to ultraviolet rays, certain chemicals, and ionizing radiation may be linked with causing astrocytoma. Astrocytoma are derived from connective tissue cells called astrocytes. Astrocytes are responsible for protecting other nerve cells found within the brain and spinal cord and are known as glial cells and form tissue which is known as glial tissue. Tumors that arise from glial tissue, including astrocytomas, are collectively referred to as gliomas. They accounts for 35 to 50 percent of all tumors that are present in the brain and spinal cord. Astrocytoma is separated into two classification systems and into four different groups, which are determined by the histopathologic features, atypia, cellular density, mitotic activity, microvascular proliferation, and necrosis. Grades I and II usually grow slowly and are benign, while grades III and IV are typically malignant tumors. I believe Brad has Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), which is characterized as a highly invasive, grade IV malignant