What happened to Jason Collins? Former NBA center reveals Stage 4 glioblastoma diagnosis, what is it?

Former NBA centre Jason Collins disclosed on Thursday that he has been diagnosed with Stage 4 glioblastoma.

In September, the NBA had announced that Collins was receiving treatment for a brain tumor. However, on Thursday, the 13-year NBA veteran provided further information regarding his diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis.

Speaking to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, Collins said, “But now it’s time for people to hear directly from me. I have Stage 4 glioblastoma, one of the deadliest forms of brain cancer. It came on incredibly fast.”

“What makes glioblastoma so dangerous is that it grows within a very finite, contained space -- the skull -- and it’s very aggressive and can expand. What makes it so difficult to treat in my case is that it’s surrounded by the brain and is encroaching upon the frontal lobe -- which is what makes you, ‘you’," he added.

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Glioblastoma represents the most prevalent form of malignant brain tumor among adults, with over 13,000 individuals in the United States receiving a diagnosis annually, reported the Cleveland Clinic. Although a cure is not available, treatment options encompass radiation therapy, chemotherapy, intensity-modulated radiation therapy, and additional methods.

Collins stated that he experiences mental challenges, including short-term memory loss and difficulties with comprehension.

He recounted a particular incident in August when he and his husband missed a flight because he was unable to concentrate on packing for the journey. Additionally, he mentioned an occurrence one week prior in which he fell at home and found himself unable to determine how to rise, struggling to position his knee and balance in order to push himself up.

Collins stated that he was admitted to a hospital at UCLA, where he underwent a CT scan before the doctors advised him to consult a specialist. Following this, he had a biopsy that confirmed he had glioblastoma with a “growth factor of 30%, meaning that within a matter of weeks, if nothing were to be done, the tumor would run out of room and I’d probably be dead within six weeks to three months.”

Collins stated that he is presently undergoing targeted chemotherapy at a clinic located in Singapore. He mentioned that due to the unresectable nature of his tumor, which indicates it cannot be surgically removed, the typical prognosis for his condition is between 11 to 14 months.

Collins had a career spanning 13 seasons in the NBA, playing for the New Jersey/Brooklyn Nets, Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves, Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, and Washington Wizards from 2001 to 2014. Over the course of 735 games, including 477 starts, he averaged 3.6 points and 3.7 rebounds in 20.4 minutes per game.

He married the love of his life, Brunson Green, at a ceremony in Austin, Texas in May this year.

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