A multi-tiered intervention to address behavioural and cognitive changes after diagnosis of primary brain tumour: A feasibility study

Brain Injury ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 26 (7-8) ◽  
pp. 950-961 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. L. Whiting ◽  
G. K. Simpson ◽  
E.-S. Koh ◽  
K. M. Wright ◽  
T. Simpson ◽  
...  
2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. ii29-ii29
Author(s):  
S Frances ◽  
G Velikova ◽  
M Klein ◽  
S Short ◽  
L Murray ◽  
...  

Abstract BACKGROUND A primary brain tumour (PrBT) diagnosis can be devastating, and results in a wide range of symptoms. Relatively little is known about the long-term challenges these symptoms pose on HRQOL. The aim of this review is to identify the long-term HRQOL issues reported at least two years following diagnosis of a PrBT. MATERIAL AND METHODS Systematic literature searches were carried out using Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO and Web of Science Core Collection. Searches were designed to identify a range of reported HRQOL aspects defined as physical, mental or social issues, in adult WHO grade II or III patients. To capture the full extent of patients’ experience, studies of any design reporting on primary data where patients had at least two years follow-up from diagnosis were included. WHO grade I and grade IV tumours were excluded due to their different prognoses and the expected nature of their disease trajectories. Quality assessment was conducted using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT). Narrative synthesis was used to collate findings. RESULTS The search returned 8438 articles. 477 titles remained after title and abstract screening, with eighteen full text articles included in the final analysis. The majority of studies used quantitative methods, with only two articles reporting qualitative or mixed methodology. Articles were predominantly cross-sectional studies (n = 10), along with cohort studies (n = 3), clinical trials (n = 3) and pilot studies (n = 2). Results indicated that patients reported a variety of issues influencing their HRQOL, with emotional/psychological/cognitive changes being the most commonly reported. Physical complaints included problems with fatigue, seizures and maintaining daily activity. Social challenges included strained social relationships and issues managing finances. Patient coping strategies were found to significantly influence wellbeing and subsequent HRQOL. CONCLUSION PrBT patients’ long-term HRQOL and daily functioning can be impacted by their physical, mental and social wellbeing. Findings from this review lay the groundwork for efforts to improve patient HRQOL in long-term survivorship.


2021 ◽  
Vol 108 (Supplement_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
A Vassiliou ◽  
K Alavian ◽  
M Tsujishita ◽  
H Bae

Abstract Introduction Primary brain tumours originate from cells within the brain. The commonest malignant types are gliomas which are graded from I-IV. Emerging evidence has elucidated the function of the mitochondrially localised B-cell lymphoma-extra-large (Bcl-xL) protein, and its promotion of tumour progression-associated properties. Our lab has previously established that Bcl-xL-overexpressing neurons increase metabolic efficiency by producing more adenosine triphosphate and consuming less oxygen, which we assumed, fuels cancer cells to proliferate. Method We quantified the subcellular expression patterns of Bcl-xL in primary brain tumour samples through immunohistochemistry on a brain tissue microarray containing 16 glioma cases from Grades II-IV. We used antibodies against Bcl-xL, heat shock protein 60 for mitochondrial detection and proliferating cell nuclear antigen for cancerous cell detection. Results Bcl-xL is overexpressed in cancerous cells of Grade IV gliomas and is significantly greater than cancerous cells of Grade III and Grade II gliomas. Cancerous cells express higher levels of Bcl-xL than non-cancerous cells in all grades of glioma. Conclusions Bcl-xL-overexpressing neurons exhibit enhanced metabolic efficiency, contributing to increased proliferation rates. Future research should focus on the characterisation of ATP levels and oxygen consumption in glioma cells. Conclusively, pharmacological inhibition of Bcl-xL will suppress the proliferation rate in gliomas and cease cancer cell growth.


Nursing ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
RACHEL L. PALMIERI

Author(s):  
Julia Day ◽  
Shlomit Yust-Katz ◽  
David Cachia ◽  
Jeffrey Wefel ◽  
Lior H Katz ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. ii31-ii32
Author(s):  
L Pointon ◽  
R Grant ◽  
S Peoples ◽  
S Erridge ◽  
P Sherwood ◽  
...  

Abstract BACKGROUND Most primary brain tumour patients rely on informal caregivers (i.e. family members or friends) for practical and emotional support. While caregiving can be rewarding, it also commonly leads to significant burden. In developing support for caregivers, it is vital to distinguish between caregivers’ unmet needs, and their actual wish for support to resolve unmet needs. We aimed to 1) identify the presence and magnitude of unmet needs; 2) examine associations between unmet needs and desire for support; 3) evaluate perceived usefulness of caregiver needs screening in clinical practice. MATERIAL AND METHODS Family caregivers of patients with primary brain tumours were recruited and asked to complete an adapted version of the Caregiver Needs Screen (CNS). This covered the level of distress resulting from 33 common issues in neuro-oncology caregiving (scale 0–10), and wish for information or support for any issue (yes/no). In addition, participants were asked to rank (0–7) their experience of using the CNS based on items covering ‘ease of us’, ‘usefulness’ and ‘satisfaction’. Descriptive and correlational analyses were applied. RESULTS Caregivers (N=79) reported between 1–33 unmet needs (M=17.20, sd=7.98) but did not always wish for support for each need (range 0–28, M=4.71, sd=6.63). Most distressing items were patient’s fatigue (M=5.58), recognising signs of disease progression (M=5.23), changes in patients’ thinking or behaviour (M=5.04), patient distress or sadness (M=4.68), and changes in caregivers’ own emotional health (M=4.44). A weak correlation was found between the total number of unmet needs and the desire for support (r=0.296, p=0.014). Caregivers most often desired support with recognising disease progression (N=24), managing medications and side-effects (N=18), and least often with managing spiritual issues (N=0), communication with (grand)children (N=2) and communication with family members and friends (N=3). Caregivers evaluated the CNS tool positively (mean item scores ranging 4.19–6.21 out of 7). CONCLUSION Family caregivers of brain tumour patients experience distress resulting from many neuro-oncology specific needs, but this is not directly related to a wish for support or information. Caregiver needs screening could be useful to tailor support or information to suit caregivers’ preferences in clinical practice.


2021 ◽  
pp. bmjspcare-2020-002613
Author(s):  
Joanne Bartlett ◽  
Elizabeth Freshwater

Palliative medicine is always patient centred and promotes the principle that no unnecessary investigations are performed. The case is reported of a patient with suspected carbamazepine toxicity presenting as progression of symptoms of primary brain tumour. A comparison is made of the symptoms and signs of toxicity versus tumour, and an aid for deciding when to perform therapeutic drug level monitoring for some common drugs.


Author(s):  
R. Cashman

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of an intervention designed to support newly diagnosed primary brain tumour patients. The intervention involved a structured, one time meeting between newly diagnosed patients and trained volunteer “veteran” primary brain tumour patients. Methods Two trained volunteers met for a single, face to face meeting on an individual basis with a total of 10 newly diagnosed patients. A combination of questionnaires and interviews were used to investigate the impact of the intervention for the new patients and the volunteers. Results: The intervention appeared to be of substantial value for both groups of participants. Analysis revealed that the newly diagnosed patients experienced a range of benefits, including those related to the themes of: increased hope; valued guidance; hearing what it’s really like; overcoming aloneness; and realignment of priorities. Veteran patients experienced a sense accomplishment and decreased anxiety as a result of the intervention. Only minor adverse effects and challenges were reported. Conclusions The findings provide initial evidence that the experimental intervention has the potential to be a safe, effective means of promoting psycho-social well-being in newly diagnosed patients and may also have positive effects for veteran patients. Further investigation into the use of one to one, peer support for brain tumour patients is an important research priority.


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