To study the clinical characteristics, treatment and prognosis of patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) in China, we retrospectively analyzed 205 Chinese patients with histologically proven GBM. A univariate analysis of prognosis factors for survival time was performed and significant factors were tested in a multivariate analysis using the Cox regression method. Median overall survival time was 12.0 months (95% confidence interval [CI] 11.0-13.1 months). Survival rates after diagnosis were 82% at 6 months, 52% at 12 months, 27% at 18 months and 17% at 24 months. Age, preoperative Karnofsky's performance status score and tumour location were independent preoperative predictors of prognosis and among the treatment methods of GBM, radiotherapy was the strongest predictor of prognosis followed by radical surgery and chemotherapy. The median survival time post diagnosis for Chinese patients is comparable to the 11.0-15.9 month range observed in western patients. The data suggest a lack of ethnic differences in GBM prognosis of Chinese and western patients.