Discover Glioblastoma (GBM) Treatment Plans | Optune®

When you or your loved one receives a GBM diagnosis, you may feel overwhelmed with information. In addition to what your healthcare team may have shared, you may be doing research yourself, and friends and family may send you things they've read.

It may be a lot to take in. But when you're ready, it's important to get organized and take the time to talk to your doctor and learn as much as you can about what treatments may work for you, including Optune.

Here are some topics that other GBM patients and their caregivers found important when learning more about Optune.

1. How would Optune fit into my treatment plan?

If you have newly diagnosed GBM, Optune would be used together with chemotherapy* after you have had surgery and radiation with chemotherapy.

If you have recurrent GBM and continued treatment with radiation or chemotherapy is not an option, Optune is used alone.

* Temozolomide (TMZ), also known as Temodar®.

2. How would I get Optune?

After talking through your treatment plan, your doctor will prescribe Optune.

It's important to note that your doctor must be certified to prescribe Optune. If your doctor is not certified, he or she may refer you to another doctor who is certified. There are more than 700 certified treatment centers in the United States. Visit Find an Optune doctor to locate one near you.

From your first question about Optune and throughout treatment, the nCompass™ team provides customized support based on your needs.

3. What kind of support does Novocure offer?

The award-winning nCompass program provides you with complete support every step of the way. We support you from the beginning by:

Learn more about patient and caregiver support here.

4. How will Optune fit into my daily life?

Continuous treatment with Optune can be received almost anywhere. If your doctor says it's okay, you can use Optune while you go about your daily routine at work, while traveling, and at social functions.

In order for Optune to work properly, you will need to keep your head shaved while using Optune. However, loose-knit head coverings, including hats, caps, beanies, wraps, or wigs can all be worn over the arrays.

  1. Optune [Instruction for Use]. Novocure 2016.

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What is Optune® approved to treat?

Optune is a wearable, portable, FDA-approved device indicated to treat a type of brain cancer called glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) in adult patients 22 years of age or older.

Newly diagnosed GBM

If you have newly diagnosed GBM, Optune is used together with a chemotherapy called temozolomide (TMZ) if:

Recurrent GBM

If your tumor has come back, Optune can be used alone as an alternative to standard medical therapy if:

Who should not use Optune?

Optune is not for everyone. Talk to your doctor if you have:

Do not use Optune if you are pregnant or are planning to become pregnant. It is not known if Optune is safe or effective during pregnancy.

What should I know before using Optune?

Optune should only be used after receiving training from qualified personnel, such as your doctor, a nurse, or other medical staff who have completed a training course given by Novocure™, the maker of Optune.

What are the possible side effects of Optune?

Most common side effects of Optune when used together with chemotherapy (temozolomide, or TMZ) were low blood platelet count, nausea, constipation, vomiting, tiredness, scalp irritation from the device, headache, seizure, and depression.

The most common side effects when using Optune alone were scalp irritation (redness and itchiness) and headache. Other side effects were malaise, muscle twitching, fall and skin ulcers.

Talk to your doctor if you have any of these side effects or questions.


Please click here to see the Optune Instructions for Use (IFU) for complete information regarding the device's indications, contraindications, warnings, and precautions.


On this site, patient and healthcare professional videos as well as all images labeled as Optune users, caregivers, or healthcare professionals depict actual patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals. All other depictions of patients and caregivers are actor portrayals. Patient images reflect the health status of the patients at the time each photo was taken.

https://www.optune.com/discover-optune