When MGMT-methylated glioblastoma tends to truly grow back
Original title: Single Institution Retrospective Study to Determine Time to First True Progression in MGMT-Methylated Glioblastoma Patients Who Received Standard of Care.
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.
This was a look back at records of patients already treated, not a test of a new treatment.
The short version
In this small study, most people with this type of glioblastoma: The fastest-growing type of glioma (grade 4). Treatment usually starts soon after diagnosis: surgery first, then radiation and chemotherapy. See the glossary did not have real tumor growth in the first year and a half after surgery.
What was studied. Doctors at one hospital looked back at their records from 2018 to 2024. They studied patients with MGMT-methylated glioblastoma: The fastest-growing type of glioma (grade 4). Treatment usually starts soon after diagnosis: surgery first, then radiation and chemotherapy. See the glossary who got the standard treatment, surgery followed by the Stupp protocol. Fifteen patients fit the study.
What they found. The usual wait before the tumor truly grew again was twenty-one months. About half the patients waited longer than that. 40% of patients still had no true growth beyond thirty-six months after their first surgery.
What this means, and what it doesn't
What it could mean: A scan that looks worse soon after treatment may not mean the tumor is growing. It can be swelling caused by the treatment itself. This gives your care team a rough timeline to compare your scans against. If a scan worries you, ask your team what they think it shows and why.
What it doesn't mean: This is not a promise of a cure. No new treatment was tested here. It was a look back at old records from one hospital, and only fifteen patients were included. Numbers from a group this small may not match what happens to you. It does not change the treatment you can get today. It may only help doctors read scans with more care.
Source: PubMed, June 29, 2026 · Read the original
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