Glioblastoma epidemiology
Glioblastoma (GBM) CNS World Health Organization (WHO) grade 4 is the most common, malignant intrinsic brain tumor in adult patients 1) 2) 3).
Glioblastoma occurs in approximately 46% of gliomas 4), with incidence increasing by 3% per year 5).
It has an incidence rate of 3.19 per 100,000 persons in the United States and a median age of 64 years, it is uncommon in children. The incidence is 1.6 times higher in males compared to females and 2.0 times higher in Caucasians compared to Africans and Afro-Americans, with lower incidence in Asians and American Indians.
It is commonly located in the supratentorial region (frontal, temporal, parietal, and occipital lobes) and is rarely located in cerebellum 6).
The reported median age at initial diagnosis is of approximately 65 years 7)
Its incidence continues to increase in the elderly because the older segment of the population is growing faster than any other age group. Most clinical studies exclude elderly patients, and “standards of care” do not exist for Glioblastoma patients aged >70 years 8).
Predominantly localized in the hemisphere, in 24% in and directly around the motor area 9).
Spain
4000 new cases of malignant gliomas are diagnosed each year in Spain, from which more than one-third are glioblastomas 10).