High grade glioma prognosis

About high grade gliomas

Gliomas develop from the brain’s glial cells. They are primary brain tumours, which means they start in the brain as opposed to spreading there.

When these tumours are grade 3 and grade 4, they are considered high grade gliomas.

This term can refer to different types of brain tumour. For example, grade 3 and grade 4 astrocytomas and glioblastomas are high grade gliomas.

High grade gliomas are the most common type of primary brain tumour in adults. They can also affect children, but this is rare.

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What is a high grade glioma prognosis?

If you are diagnosed with a high grade glioma, you doctor will give you a prognosis. This will tell you what you might expect from your diagnosis.

But, it’s important to remember that this is an estimate. Your doctor will take your tumour type and situation into consideration. But, they can’t be absolutely certain about what will happen to you.

There are some things that your doctor can’t predict and there are many things that can impact brain tumour survival. Some of these are tumour type and grade, position in the brain, biomarkers, and how well you might respond to treatment.

This is why prognosis is often an ongoing process. It will likely be revised at different stages in your journey.

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High grade glioma survival rate

In 2021, the World Health Organisation revised its classification of brain tumours. This means that the data for certain types of high grade gliomas, might not be accurate for this new classification.

If you are affected by a high grade glioma, your medical team will give you a personalised prognosis. 

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Approaching high grade glioma prognosis

Everyone is different. And, because of this, there are multiple ways to approach high grade glioma prognosis.

• Some people don’t want to know their prognosis. This might be because they are afraid of what they could hear and how it might affect them
• Some people need a little time to cope with their diagnosis before asking about their prognosis
• Other people might want to know their prognosis from the start so they can start planning ahead.

The way you approach your prognosis is completely up to you. There’s no right or wrong way to do it. It’s entirely your choice when, or if, you want to speak to your doctor about your prognosis.

If you are feeling unsure or worried about a high grade glioma prognosis, contact our Support Team on 0808 800 0004 or at support@thebraintumourcharity.org

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