It's really not, because wiring (and plumbing and gas) go through the studs as well. It's unlikely they will hit something, but not impossible.

Wrong. When wires go perpendicular to studs they go through them, at a depth that wall mount hardware could hit.

Nail plates are only required if the hole drilled through the stud is closer than 1 1/4" from the face of the stud. So if it's a hole for one wire and it's centered on the stud, there won't be a plate.

Assuming there's no plate, a screw that is shorter than 1 3/4" won't hit the wire, but in this case OP is talking about a wall mount which likely has longer hardware. You'd be very unlucky to catch a wire, but it's not impossible.

We were told that the side effects were due to the targeted tissue being irritated, but I'm certainly not an expert and perhaps I'm wrong about it also affecting adjacent tissue.

I'm so sorry for what you're going through, I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.

My mom's cognitive symptoms from the radiation are terrible and we don't know if or when they will improve.

The last line of the title is misleading, as chemo is already possible and is commonly used to treat glios.

The article indicates the primary benefit is that the treatment negates the need for surgery and radiation, and may increase the efficacy of chemo. This may be especially beneficial to patients who present with non operable tumors.

This is certainly progress, as the recovery from surgery and then the side effects of radiation are both brutal. However I would guess that for patients with operable tumors this won't increase survival rates.

I was told by a leading glio specialist at a top hospital that back in the day they tried removing entire lobes of the brain to remove a glioblastoma, and it would eventually just come back somewhere else in the brain anyway.

All the current treatment is just to try and extend the incredibly short life expectancy.

Source: My mom was diagnosed with a glioblastoma a few months ago

This is not accurate, radiation is modeled and planned in 3D and only affects the targeted tissue. It is much more focused than it was even a decade ago. However it still causes irritation and swelling.

My mom, who was a radiation therapist her whole career, is currently in radiation and chemo for a glioblastoma. She's been discussing the treatment protocol with her former colleagues and it's already completely different from when she retired not long ago.

He's an executive producer, although I have no idea what that actually means

Don't forget Reservation dogs and What we do in the shadows!