Yesterday (March 30) the world mourned the loss of Tom Parker who died at the age of 33 having been diagnosed with terminal brain cancer.
Tom, who forms one fifth of boyband The Wanted, told fans back in October 2020 that he had an inoperable tumour and although he showed signs of getting better with news of his tumour shrinking, he sadly passed away "peacefully" surrounded by his friends and family.
His wife Kelsey wrote on Instagram: "Our hearts are broken. Tom was the centre of our world. We can't imagine life without his infectious smile and energetic presence."
"We are truly thankful for the outpouring of love and support and ask that we all unite to ensure Tom's light continues to shine for his beautiful children.
"Thank you to everyone who has supported in his care throughout, he fought until the very end. I'm forever proud of you."
The couple married in 2018 and had a daughter, Aurelia Rose, and a son, Bodhi.
The band who formed in 2009 consists of members Max George, Siva Kaneswaran, Nathan Sykes and Jay McGuiness, who said they were "devastated" by Parker's death and that they were at his side with his family when he died.
Non-profit organisation Brain Tumour Research UK released a statement commending Parker's openness about his illness and his fundraising efforts.
The charity's Hugh Adams said: "Since his diagnosis Tom has spoken openly and honestly about the impact of the disease and in doing so, has helped to raise awareness of the devastation caused by brain tumours."
But what did Tom Parker have and what symptoms should you be looking out for?
What is Glioblastoma?
Tom Parker was diagnosed with stage 4 Glioblastomas
According to the Brain Tumour Charity, Glioblastomas are grade 4 brain tumours and are sometimes called glioblastoma multiforme, GBM, GBM4 or a grade 4 astrocytoma.
They’re said to be:
- Fast growing
- Diffuse - meaning they have threadlike tendrils that extend into other parts of the brain
- Likely to spread within the brain
- May come back, even if intensively treated
- Sometimes called malignant or cancerous.
Glioblastomas are a type of glioma, which is a brain tumour that grows from a glial cell.
What stages of brain tumours are there?
According to the NHS, brain tumours are graded according to how fast they grow and how likely they are to grow back after treatment.
Grade 1 and 2 tumours are low grade, and grade 3 and 4 tumours are high grade.
There are 2 main types of brain tumours:
- Non-cancerous (benign) brain tumours – these are low grade (grade 1 or 2), which means they grow slowly and are less likely to return after treatment
- Cancerous (malignant) brain tumours – these are high grade (grade 3 or 4) and either start in the brain (primary tumours) or spread into the brain from elsewhere (secondary tumours); they're more likely to grow back after treatment
What are the symptoms of a brain tumour?
The symptoms of a brain tumour vary depending on the exact part of the brain affected.
Common symptoms include:
- Headaches
- Seizures (fits)
- Persistently feeling sick (nausea)
- Being sick (vomiting)
- Drowsiness
- Mental or behavioural changes such as memory problems or changes in personality
- Progressive weakness or paralysis on one side of the body
- Vision problems
- Speech problems
Sometimes you may not have any symptoms to begin with, or they may develop very slowly over time.
Who is at risk of developing Glioblastoma and other brain tumours?
The cause of most brain tumours is unknown, but there are several risk factors that may increase your chances of developing a brain tumour.
Risk factors include:
- Age – the risk of getting a brain tumour increases with age (most brain tumours happen in older adults aged 85 to 89), although some types of brain tumour are more common in children
- Radiation – exposure to radiation accounts for a very small number of brain tumours; some types of brain tumours are more common in people who have had radiotherapy, CT scans or X-rays of the head
- Family history and genetic conditions – some genetic conditions are known to increase the risk of getting a brain tumour, including tuberous sclerosis, neurofibromatosis type 1, neurofibromatosis type 2 and Turner syndrome
To find out more about brain tumours, please visit the NHS website here.
