Glioblastoma Treatment: What Works, What’s New, and What to Expect

When someone is diagnosed with glioblastoma, a fast-growing, aggressive type of brain tumor that starts in the glial cells. Also known as GBM, it’s one of the most challenging cancers to treat because it spreads quickly through brain tissue and often comes back after treatment. Unlike other tumors, glioblastoma doesn’t stay in one place—it creeps into healthy brain areas, making complete removal nearly impossible. That’s why treatment isn’t just about one drug or one surgery—it’s a mix of approaches tailored to each person’s situation.

Most patients start with surgery, the first step to remove as much of the tumor as safely possible. But even the most skilled neurosurgeon can’t get every last cancer cell. After surgery, radiation therapy, high-energy beams aimed at the brain to kill remaining cells is almost always used. It’s usually given daily for several weeks. Alongside that, temozolomide, a chemotherapy pill that crosses the blood-brain barrier is the standard drug. It’s taken during and after radiation, and sometimes continued for months. These three—surgery, radiation, and temozolomide—are the backbone of glioblastoma care.

There’s no magic cure yet, but new ideas are showing up in clinics. Some patients get tumor-treating fields, a wearable device that uses electric fields to slow tumor growth. Others join trials for immunotherapy, gene therapy, or targeted drugs that attack specific mutations in the tumor. While these aren’t standard for everyone, they’re giving hope where there used to be none. The goal isn’t just to extend life—it’s to keep people thinking clearly, moving well, and spending time with loved ones for as long as possible.

What you won’t find in most posts is the messy reality: nausea from chemo, fatigue that doesn’t go away, memory slips, mood swings. These aren’t side effects—they’re part of the journey. That’s why the articles below don’t just list treatments. They talk about managing brain fog after radiation, how to cope with seizures, why some people try supplements (and what actually helps), and how to talk to doctors when standard options run out. This isn’t a textbook. It’s a collection of real experiences and practical advice from people who’ve been through it—or are still going through it.