What is the survival rate for glioblastoma multiforme?
Glioblastoma
The IDH1 gene encodes for the enzyme isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 and is frequently mutated in glioblastoma (primary GBM: 5%, secondary GBM >80%).[27] By producing very high concentrations of the "oncometabolite" D-2-hydroxyglutarate and dysregulating the function of the wild-type IDH1-enzyme it induces profound changes to the metabolism of IDH1-mutated glioblastoma, compared with IDH1 wild-type glioblastoma or healthy astrocytes. Among others, it increases the glioblastoma cells' dependence on glutamine or glutamate as an energy source.[32] It has been hypothesized that IDH1-mutated glioblastoma are in a very high demand for glutamate and use this amino acid and neurotransmitter as a chemotactic signal. Since healthy astrocytes excrete glutamate, IDH1-mutated glioblastoma cells do not favor dense tumor structures but instead migrate, invade and disperse into healthy parts of the brain where glutamate concentrations are higher. This may explain the invasive behaviour of these IDH1-mutated glioblastoma.[33]