HGG include grade 3 and grade 4 tumors such as anaplastic astrocytoma, anaplastic oligodendroglioma, and Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM).
Three drugs have received full approval from the US FDA for brain cancer. Click to read more about approved brain cancer drugs.
Each year, there are over 11,000 newly diagnosed cases of HGG in the US.
GBM, the most common form of HGG, has an annual incidence of approximately 9,000 in the US and almost all GBM tumors recur.
GBM is a highly aggressive cancer that infiltrates surrounding brain tissue.
GBM is the most deadly form of brain cancer with a 5 year survival of <5%.
According to a population-based study, median survival in all patients diagnosed with GBM is approximately 10 months.
Relatively, more years of productive life are lost in patients with GBM brain cancer than any other cancer.
Temodar (temozolamide) is FDA approved for the treatment of GBM and anaplastic astrocytoma. In patients with GBM, temozolomide (Temodar) provides a median survival advantage of 10 weeks.
Avastin (bevacizumab) is FDA approved for the treatment of recurrent GBM. Currently, there are no data demonstrating increased survival with bevacizumab (Avastin).
