Glioblastoma in the Elderly: Review of Molecular and Therapeutic Aspects

Biomedicines. 2022 Mar 10;10(3):644. doi: 10.3390/biomedicines10030644.

Abstract

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most aggressive primary brain tumour. As GBM incidence is associated with age, elderly people represent a consistent subgroup of patients. Elderly people with GBM show dismal prognosis (about 6 months) and limited response to treatments. Age is a negative prognostic factor, which correlates with clinical frailty, poorer tolerability to surgery or adjuvant radio-chemotherapy, and higher occurrence of comorbidities and/or secondary complications. The aim of this paper is to review the clinical and molecular characteristics, current therapeutic options, and prognostic factors of elderly patients with GBM.

Keywords: comprehensive geriatric assessment; elderly patients; glioblastoma; molecular factors; prognostic factors.

Publication types

  • Review