Spreading Cancer

Has anyone ever heard of a GBM spreading to other parts of the body?

My husband has a IV GBM, going through chemo right now, and is in excrutiating back pain. He remembers hurting his back about 8 weeks ago when he lifted a small table, but this pain has not gone away and become progressively worse.

The doctors are doing an MRI to see if this picks up anything, but in the meantime, while I await results, i'm having the most panic possible, thinking the worst.

Any advise, comments etc would be appreciated.

Wendy M 

From all of my research over the past several months, it seems extremely rare (if at all possible) for the GBM to spread outside of the brain. It is even somewhat rare for it to regrow in another region within the brain. It's dreadful how we assume every pain to be the return of the beast, but that's how we all live. Your husband may have either restrained his back or the meds are affecting the inflammation he may have had there. Back pain is no fun, but none of this is. Good luck. Hope he gets some relief from his pain.

The spine is part of the central nervous system.  It is possible for the GBM to spread to the spine.  But pain in the back can be caused by many things other than cancer.  Wait to see what the test results show.

I also have heard that very rarely a brain tumor can spread to the spine.  But of course back pain in general is very common for other reasons.  I also want to point out that a brain tumor can cause the sensation of pain in other areas of the body which themselves do not have a problem, it's just the brain tumor causing the feeling.  My husband has had carpal tunnel type pain and excruciating RLS type neurological pain, that were not carpal tunnel or RLS.  Neurontin was helpful for him.

I agree with everybody--try to put it out of your mind until you have results.  This is a good skill to learn for brain tumor families since things like this always seem to happen sadly enough.  You haven't heard anything bad yet, so it's a good day if you can just find a way to let it be one.

Wendy,

Depending on the age of your husband and the legth of time he has been on steroids, compression fractures are also possible. A plain x ray is enough for that,but to rule out disc involvement, an MRI would not hurt.

Wish you and your husband all the best.

Joe