Glioblastoma in the Elderly: Review of Molecular and Therapeutic Aspects

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.

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This paper reviews the clinical and molecular characteristics, current therapeutic options, and prognostic factors of elderly patients with GBM. Elderly people with GBM have a poor prognosis and limited response to treatments, which are correlated with age, clinical frailty, poorer tolerability to surgery or adjuvant radio-chemotherapy, and higher occurrence of comorbidities and/or secondary complications.