Epidemiology and Etiology of Glioblastoma

Much recent work has described the epidemiology of glioblastoma (GB), the most common and most aggressive primary brain malignancy. This chapter reviews the basic epidemiology of GB, including incidence data for the United States and survival data in the context of surgical, chemotherapeutic, and radiation-based treatment. We review the important role that molecular markers play in prognosis for patients with GB. We then provide a broad overview of demographic, behavioral, environmental, and genetic factors that contribute to risk of these tumors.