| 1. |
- Boele, Florien, et al.
(författare)
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Inequalities in access to neuro-oncology supportive care and rehabilitation: A survey of healthcare professionals' perspectives
- 2024
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Ingår i: NEURO-ONCOLOGY PRACTICE. - 2054-2577 .- 2054-2585.
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background Neuro-oncology patients and caregivers should have equitable access to rehabilitation, supportive-, and palliative care. To investigate existing issues and potential solutions, we surveyed neuro-oncology professionals to explore current barriers and facilitators to screening patients' needs and referral to services.Methods Members of the European Association of Neuro-Oncology and the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Brain Tumor Group (EORTC-BTG) were invited to complete a 39-item online questionnaire covering the availability of services, screening, and referral practice. Responses were analyzed descriptively; associations between sociodemographic/clinical variables and screening/referral practice were explored.Results In total, 103 participants completed the survey (67% women and 57% medical doctors). Fifteen professions from 23 countries were represented. Various rehabilitation, supportive-, and palliative care services were available yet rated "inadequate" by 21-37% of participants. Most respondents with a clinical role (n = 94) declare to screen (78%) and to refer (83%) their patients routinely for physical/cognitive/emotional issues. Survey completers (n = 103) indicated the main reasons for not screening/referring were (1) lack of suitable referral options (50%); (2) shortage of healthcare professionals (48%); and (3) long waiting lists (42%). To improve service provision, respondents suggested there is a need for education about neuro-oncology-specific issues (75%), improving the availability of services (65%) and staff (64%), developing international guidelines (64%), and strengthening the existing evidence-base for rehabilitation (60%).Conclusions Detecting and managing neuro-oncology patients' and caregivers' rehabilitation, supportive,- and palliative care needs can be improved. Better international collaboration can help address healthcare disparities.
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| 2. |
- Bruhn, Helena, et al.
(författare)
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Do presenting symptoms predict treatment decisions and survival in glioblastoma? Real-world data from 1458 patients in the Swedish brain tumor registry
- 2024
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Ingår i: Neuro-Oncology Practice. - : OXFORD UNIV PRESS. - 2054-2577 .- 2054-2585.
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background Glioblastoma is the most common malignant brain tumor in adults. Non-invasive clinical parameters could play a crucial role in treatment planning and serve as predictors of patient survival. Our register-based real-life study aimed to investigate the prognostic value of presenting symptoms. Methods Data on presenting symptoms and survival, as well as known prognostic factors, were retrieved for all glioblastoma patients in Sweden registered in the Swedish Brain Tumor Registry between 2018 and 2021. The prognostic impact of different presenting symptoms was calculated using the Cox proportional hazard model. Results Data from 1458 adults with pathologically verified IDH wild-type glioblastoma were analyzed. Median survival time was 345 days. The 2-year survival rate was 21.5%. Registered presenting symptoms were focal neurological deficits, cognitive dysfunction, headache, epilepsy, signs of raised intracranial pressure, and cranial nerve symptoms, with some patients having multiple symptoms. Patients with initial cognitive dysfunction had significantly shorter survival than patients without; 265 days (245-285) vs. 409 days (365-453; P < .001). The reduced survival remained after Cox regression adjusting for known prognostic factors. Patients presenting with seizures and patients with headaches had significantly longer overall survival compared to patients without these symptoms, but the difference was not retained in multivariate analysis. Patients with cognitive deficits were less likely to have radical surgery and to receive extensive anti-neoplastic nonsurgical treatment. Conclusions This extensive real-life study reveals that initial cognitive impairment acts as an independent negative predictive factor for treatment decisions and adversely affects survival outcomes in glioblastoma patients.
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| 3. |
- Camara-Costa, H., et al.
(författare)
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Quality of survival and cognitive performance in children treated for medulloblastoma in the PNET 4 randomized controlled trial
- 2017
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Ingår i: Neuro-Oncology Practice. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 2054-2577 .- 2054-2585. ; 4:3, s. 161-170
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background. The relationship between direct assessments of cognitive performance and questionnaires assessing quality of survival (QoS) is reported to be weak-to-nonexistent. Conversely, the associations between questionnaires evaluating distinct domains of QoS tend to be strong. This pattern remains understudied. Methods. In the HIT-SIOP PNET4 randomized controlled trial, cognitive assessments, including Full Scale, Verbal and Performance IQ, Working Memory, and Processing Speed, were undertaken in 137 survivors of standard-risk medulloblastoma from 4 European countries. QoS questionnaires, including self-reports and/or parent reports of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF), the Health Utilities Index, the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, and the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory, were completed for 151 survivors. Correlations among direct cognitive assessments, QoS questionnaires, and clinical data were examined in participants with both assessments available (n = 86). Results. Correlations between direct measures of cognitive performance and QoS questionnaires were weak, except for moderate correlations between the BRIEF Metacognition Index (parent report) and working memory (r = .32) and between health status (self-report) and cognitive outcomes (r = .35-.44). Correlations among QoS questionnaires were moderate to strong both for parent and self-report (r = .39-.76). Principal Component Analysis demonstrated that questionnaires and cognitive assessments loaded on 2 separate factors. Conclusions. We hypothesize that the strong correlations among QoS questionnaires is partially attributable to the positive/negative polarity of all questions on the questionnaires, coupled with the relative absence of diseasespecific questions. These factors may be influenced by respondents' personality and emotional characteristics, unlike direct assessments of cognitive functioning, and should be taken into account in clinical trials.
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| 4. |
- Carstam, Louise, et al.
(författare)
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Neurosurgical patterns of care for diffuse low-grade gliomas in Sweden between 2005 and 2015
- 2018
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Ingår i: Neuro-Oncology Practice. - : Oxford University Press. - 2054-2577 .- 2054-2585. ; 6:2, s. 124-133
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: In the last decade, increasing evidence has evolved for early and maximal safe resection of diffuse low-grade gliomas (LGGs) regarding survival. However, changes in clinical practice are known to occur slowly and we do not know if the scientific evidence has yet resulted in changes in neurosurgical patterns of care.Methods: The Swedish Brain Tumor Registry was used to identify all patients with a first-time histopathological diagnosis of LGG between 2005 and 2015. For analysis of surgical treatment patterns, we subdivided assessed time periods into 2005-2008, 2009-2012, and 2013-2015. Population-based data on patient and disease characteristics, surgical management, and outcomes were extracted.Results: A total of 548 patients with diffuse World Health Organization grade II gliomas were identified: 142 diagnosed during 2005-2008, 244 during 2009-2012, and 162 during 2013-2015. Resection as opposed to biopsy was performed in 64.3% during 2005-2008, 74.2% during 2009-2012, and 74.1% during 2013-2015 (P = .08). There was no difference among the 3 periods regarding overall survival (P = .11). However, post hoc analysis of data from the 4 (out of 6) centers that covered all 3 time periods demonstrated a resection rate of 64.3% during 2005-2008, 77.4% during 2009-2012, and 75.4% during 2013-2015 (P = .02) and longer survival of patients diagnosed 2009 and onward (P = .04).Conclusion: In this nationwide, population-based study we observed a shift over time in favor of LGG resection. Further, a positive correlation between the more active surgical strategy and longer survival is shown, although no causality can be claimed because of possible confounding factors.
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| 5. |
- Coomans, Marijke B., et al.
(författare)
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Measuring change in health-related quality of life: the impact of different analytical methods on the interpretation of treatment effects in glioma patients
- 2020
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Ingår i: Neuro-Oncology Practice. - : OXFORD UNIV PRESS. - 2054-2577 .- 2054-2585. ; 7:6, s. 668-675
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background. Different analytical methods may lead to different conclusions about the impact of treatment on health-related quality of life (HRQoL). This study aimed to examine 3 different methods to evaluate change in HRQoL and to study whether these methods result in different conclusions. Methods. HRQoL data from 15 randomized clinical trials were combined (CODAGLIO project). Change in HRQoL scores, measured with the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 and BN20 questionnaires, was analyzed in 3 ways: (1) at the group level, comparing mean changes in scale/item scores between treatment arms, (2) at the patient level per scale/item, calculating the percentage of patients that deteriorated, improved, or remained stable per scale/item, and (3) at the individual patient level, combining all scales/items. Results. Baseline and first follow-up HRQoL data were available for 3727 patients. At the group scale/item level, only the item "hair loss" showed a significant and clinically relevant change (ie, >= 10 points) over time, whereas change scores on the other scales/items were statistically significant only (all P <.001; range in change score, 0.1-6.2). Although a large proportion of patients had stable HRQoL over time (range, 27%-84%) on the patient level per scale/item, many patients deteriorated (range, 6%-43%) or improved (range, 8%-32%) on a specific scale/item. At the individual patient level, the majority of patients (86%) showed both deterioration and improvement, whereas only 1% remained stable on all scales. Conclusions. Different analytical methods of changes in HRQoL result in distinct conclusions of treatment effects, all of which may be relevant for informing clinical decision making.
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| 6. |
- Edström, Sonja, et al.
(författare)
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Antidepressants and survival in glioma : a registry-based retrospective cohort study
- 2024
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Ingår i: Neuro-Oncology Practice. - : Oxford University Press. - 2054-2577 .- 2054-2585. ; 11:2, s. 125-131
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Depression and treatment with antidepressant medication is common in patients with malignant glioma. However, the extent to which antidepressants may affect the disease is not fully understood. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to investigate possible associations between treatment with antidepressant medication and survival in glioma patients.Methods: We performed a registry-based cohort study including 1231 patients with malignant glioma (WHO grade 2, 3 and 4) having undergone surgery, and 6400 matched controls without glioma. All data was extracted from the RISK North database, which contains information from multiple national population-based registries in Sweden.Results: Treatment with antidepressants is more common in patients with malignant glioma (27%), compared to controls (16%), p<.001. Treatment with antidepressants after surgery for glioma was significantly associated with poorer survival. These effects were observed both for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and non-SSRIs. In grade 4 glioma, SSRI treatment was associated with a HR of 3.32 (95% CI 2.69–4.10, p<.001), and non-SSRI treatment a HR of 3.54 (95% CI 2.52–4.99, p<.001), compared to glioma patients without antidepressants. In grade 2-3 glioma, the HR for SSRI treatment was 3.26 (95% CI 2.19–4.85, p<.001), and for non-SSRI treatment 7.71 (95% CI 4.22-14.12, p<.001).Conclusions: Our results demonstrate a negative association between antidepressant medication and survival in glioma. Further research will be needed to clarify causation.
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| 7. |
- Malmström, Annika, 1957-, et al.
(författare)
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Do we really know who has an MGMT methylated glioma? : results of an international survey regarding use of MGMT analyses for glioma
- 2020
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Ingår i: Neuro-Oncology Practice. - Oxford : Oxford University Press. - 2054-2577 .- 2054-2585. ; 7:1, s. 68-76
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Glioma O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) promoter methylation status informs clinical decision making. Worldwide different methods and cutoff levels are used, which can lead to discordant methylation results.Methods: We conducted an international survey to clarify which methods are regularly used and why. We also explored opinions regarding international consensus on methods and cutoff.Results: The survey had 152 respondents from 25 countries. MGMT methylation status is determined for all glioblastomas in 37% of laboratories. The most common methods are methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (msPCR) (37%) and pyrosequencing (34%). A method is selected for simplicity (56%), cost-effectiveness (50%), and reproducibility of results (52%). For sequencing, the number of CpG sites analyzed varies from 1–3 up to more than 16. For 50% of laboratories, the company producing the kit determines which CpG sites are examined, whereas 33% select the sites themselves. Selection of cutoff is equally distributed among a cutoff defined in the literature, by the local laboratory, or by the outside laboratory performing the analysis. This cutoff varies, reported from 1% to 30%, and in 1 laboratory tumor is determined as methylated in case of 1 methylated CpG site of 17 analyzed. Some report tumors as unmethylated or weakly vs highly methylated. An international consensus on MGMT methylation method and cutoff is warranted by 66% and 76% of respondents, respectively. The method preferred would be msPCR (45%) or pyrosequencing (42%), whereas 18% suggest next-generation sequencing.Conclusion: Although analysis of MGMT methylation status is routine, there is controversy regarding laboratory methods and cutoff level. Most respondents favor development of international consensus guidelines.
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| 8. |
- Mandonnet, Emmanuel, et al.
(författare)
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Survey on current practice within the European Low-Grade Glioma Network : where do we stand and what is the next step?
- 2017
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Ingår i: Neuro-Oncology Practice. - : OXFORD UNIV PRESS. - 2054-2577 .- 2054-2585. ; 4:4, s. 241-247
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Diffuse low-grade glioma form a rare entity affecting young people. Despite advances in surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy, diffuse low-grade glioma are still incurable. According to current guidelines, maximum safe resection, when feasible, is the first line of treatment. Apart from surgery, all other treatment modalities (temozolomide, procarbazine-CCNU-vincristine regimen, and radiation therapy) are handled very differently among different teams, and this in spite of recent results of several phase 3 studies. Based on a European survey, this paper aimed to get a picture of this heterogeneity in diffuse low-grade glioma management, to identify clinically relevant questions raised by this heterogeneity of practice, and to propose new methodological frameworks to address these questions.
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| 9. |
- Munkvold, Bodil Karoline Ravn, et al.
(författare)
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Variations in the management of diffuse low-grade gliomas : A Scandinavian multicenter study
- 2021
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Ingår i: Neuro-Oncology Practice. - : Oxford University Press. - 2054-2577 .- 2054-2585. ; 8:6, s. 706-717
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background. Early extensive surgery is a cornerstone in treatment of diffuse low-grade gliomas (DLGGs), and an additional survival benefit has been demonstrated from early radiochemotherapy in selected "high-risk" patients. Still, there are a number of controversies related to DLGG management. The objective of this multicenter population-based cohort study was to explore potential variations in diagnostic work-up and treatment between treating centers in 2 Scandinavian countries with similar public health care systems.Methods. Patients screened for inclusion underwent primary surgery of a histopathologically verified diffuse WHO grade II glioma in the time period 2012 through 2017. Clinical and radiological data were collected from medical records and locally conducted research projects, whereupon differences between countries and inter-hospital variations were explored.Results. A total of 642 patients were included (male:female ratio 1:4), and annual age-standardized incidence rates were 0.9 and 0.8 per 100 000 in Norway and Sweden, respectively. Considerable inter-hospital variations were observed in preoperative work-up, tumor diagnostics, surgical strategies, techniques for intraoperative guidance, as well as choice and timing of adjuvant therapy.Conclusions. Despite geographical population-based case selection, similar health care organizations, and existing guidelines, there were considerable variations in DLGG management. While some can be attributed to differences in clinical implementation of current scientific knowledge, some of the observed inter-hospital variations reflect controversies related to diagnostics and treatment. Quantification of these disparities renders possible identification of treatment patterns associated with better or worse outcomes and may thus represent a step toward more uniform evidence-based care.
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| 10. |
- Pace, Andrea, et al.
(författare)
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Determining medical decision-making capacity in brain tumor patients : why and how?
- 2020
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Ingår i: Neuro-Oncology Practice. - : Oxford University Press. - 2054-2577 .- 2054-2585. ; 7:6, s. 599-612
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Brain tumor patients are at high risk of impaired medical decision-making capacity (MDC), which can be ethically challenging because it limits their ability to give informed consent to medical treatments or participation in research. The European Association of Neuro-Oncology Palliative Care Multidisciplinary Task Force performed a systematic review to identify relevant evidence with respect to MDC that could be used to give recommendations on how to cope with reduced MDC in brain tumor patients.Methods: A literature search in several electronic databases was conducted up to September 2019, including studies with brain tumor and other neurological patients. Information related to the following topics was extracted: tools to measure MDC, consent to treatment or research, predictive patient- and treatment-related factors, surrogate decision making, and interventions to improve MDC.Results: A total of 138 articles were deemed eligible. Several structured capacity-assessment instruments are available to aid clinical decision making. These instruments revealed a high incidence of impaired MDC both in brain tumors and other neurological diseases for treatment- and research-related decisions. Incapacity appeared to be mostly determined by the level of cognitive impairment. Surrogate decision making should be considered in case a patient lacks capacity, ensuring that the patient's "best interests" and wishes are guaranteed. Several methods are available that may help to enhance patients' consent capacity.Conclusions: Clinical recommendations on how to detect and manage reduced MDC in brain tumor patients were formulated, reflecting among others the timing of MDC assessments, methods to enhance patients' consent capacity, and alternative procedures, including surrogate consent.
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