Life expectancy following a glioblastoma diagnosis
Your doctor cannot be absolutely certain about what will happen to you following a diagnosis of a glioblastoma. They can give you an estimate, based on your tumour type and current situation, but they may not be able to predict other factors, such as how well you might respond to treatment.
Life expectancy (prognosis) is often an ongoing process, revised at different stages in your journey.
Receiving information about a brain tumour life expectancy
Different people approach their life expectancy in different ways.
- Some do not want to know, because they are afraid of what they might hear and how it may affect them
- Some just need some time to cope with their diagnosis before asking about their life expectancy
- Others may want to know from the beginning, using their life expectancy to plan ahead
There is no right or wrong answer as to whether or when to receive such information. It is entirely up to you whether or when you want to speak to your doctor about your life expectancy.
Brain tumour life expectancy
The figures listed below are given in 1, 2, and 5 year intervals simply because doctors use these intervals for research/measuring purposes – they are not meant to represent how long a person will live past those intervals. For example, a patient who is a 5 year survivor might live as long as any other healthy person, depending on their circumstances.
It is important to remember that statistics and averages cannot tell you what will happen to you specifically. You can find a general overview of life expectancy for glioblastoma below.
-
The average life expectancy is 12-18 months – only 25% of glioblastoma patients survive more than one year, and only 5% of patients survive more than five years.
Get your free brain tumour information pack
Our Brain Tumour Information Pack has been designed to help you cope with your diagnosis and support you during this difficult time. It can help to guide you through the healthcare system, answer your questions, and reassure you that you’re not alone so that you feel confident when discussing treatment and care options with your medical team.
Unfortunately, we’re currently unable to send Information Packs by post. All the information contained in the pack can be found in the email you’ll receive after completing this form.
Privacy notice
We will use the details you provided to send your information pack and any other resources you request and any relevant information in the future. Your details are held on our secure database and we promise never to share them with any other organisation for their marketing purposes. You can find out more in our privacy policy.