Brain tumor
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most aggressive (grade IV) and most common form of a malignant brain tumor. Even when aggressive multimodality therapy consisting of radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and surgical excision is used, median survival is only 12–17 months. Standard therapy for glioblastoma multiforme consists of maximal surgical resection of the tumor, followed by radiotherapy between two and four weeks after the surgical procedure to remove the cancer, then by chemotherapy, such as temozolomide. Most patients with glioblastoma take a corticosteroid, typically dexamethasone, during their illness to relieve symptoms. Experimental treatments include targeted therapy, gamma knife radiosurgery, boron neutron capture therapy and gene therapy.
Epithelioid sarcoma
The 5-year survival rate for epithelioid sarcoma patients is 50-70%, and the 10-year survival rate is 42-55%. Children with epithelioid sarcoma tend to have slightly better outcomes than adults, with 5 year survival rates around 65%. Pediatric patients also tend to display less lymphatic spread and metastasis. In addition to stage and grade of the tumor, gender, site, age at diagnosis, tumor size and microscopic pathology have all been shown to affect prognosis. Advanced stage and grade are associated with worse outcomes. Females tend to have more favorable outcomes than males, proximal cases show worse outcomes than distal cases, and younger age is associated with more positive outcomes. Tumors more than 2 cm in diameter and tumors with necrosis and vascular invasion have been correlated with a worse outcome.