Thinking and memory in people living many years after a grade 4 brain tumor
Original title: Neurocognitive functioning in long-term survivors of glioblastoma, IDH-wildtype and astrocytoma, IDH-mutant, CNS WHO grade 4: A report from EORTC 1419 (ETERNITY).
How far along is this research?
- Lab cells
- Animals
- Review
- Tested in people
This was tested in people. That is the most reliable kind of research we share.
Researchers watched people over time and tested their thinking. No new treatment was tested.
The short version
Most long-term survivors had trouble with thinking or memory, but it stayed fairly steady over time.
What was studied. Researchers looked at 185 people who lived at least 5 years after a grade 4 brain tumor. Each person took memory, word, and attention tests at the start and every 6 months.
What they found. At the start, 145 of 185 people (78%) scored low on at least one test. Scores stayed mostly steady over time. There was a small drop in delayed memory. Where the tumor sat in the brain was linked to which skills were affected.
What this means, and what it doesn't
What it could mean: Trouble with memory, words, or attention is common years after this kind of tumor. The good news is that it tended to hold steady, not keep sliding. Your care team can use this to plan support and talk honestly about what to expect.
What it doesn't mean: This does not mean every person will have these results. This study only watched people who were already living years past their diagnosis. It did not test any treatment, so nothing here is a new therapy you can ask for. It is not a promise of a cure, and it cannot tell you what will happen to one person.
Source: PubMed, August 12, 2026 · Read the original
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