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.
Ivan Noble
He was diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme on 29 August 2002, and wrote about his battle against the cancer on the BBC News website in a series entitled "Tumour Diary". Noble continued to write stories for the series until 30 January 2005, the day before he died. The tumor left him with serious visual impairments on the right side. In December 2004, having completed several courses of chemotherapy, and after a brief remission, his tumor started to grow again. Noble enjoyed a huge amount of public support during this period.