Abstract
Purpose: Despite advances in therapies that offer improved survival rates, clinical course of brain tumours leads to a progressive functional deterioration in patients with modifications in their psychological reaction to the disease. Patients with brain tumours are rarely assessed for quality of life and psychological variables, and even fewer studies have assessed patients who have experienced a recurrence of brain tumours. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to investigate the patients with recurrent brain tumours and their reaction to the illness. Method: We enrolled 81 patients with recurrent CNS tumours. Karnofsky Performance Status scale (KPS) was used to evaluate functional status of patients; the multidimensional aspect of quality of life was assessed through "Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Brain" (FACTBr), "Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale" and "Psychological Distress Inventory". These were all used as tests of psychological well-being. Results: Distress and almost all mean FACT-Br subscale scores seemed to be significantly lower in patients, in comparison with normative data. Surprisingly, the emotional well-being mean score was significantly higher in our recurrence sample than in patients with brain tumours at first diagnosis. Anxiety seemed not to be influenced by a relapse diagnosis; instead, depression was higher and differed significantly from normative data. Low correlation between KPS and FACT-Br total and some sub-scores was found. Conclusions: Apparent dissociation between patients' judgment on their quality of life (bad except for emotional) and their reported distress (low) is the most intriguing finding, suggesting highly preserved coping strategies in the emotional sphere, despite intact judgment and disease awareness.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1327-1332 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Supportive Care in Cancer |
| Volume | 20 |
| Issue number | 6 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Jun 2012 |
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Keywords
- Depression
- Distress
- Quality of life
- Recurrent brain tumour
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Oncology
Cite this
Recurrent brain tumour : The impact of illness on patient's life. / Lamperti, Elena; Pantaleo, Giuseppe; Finocchiaro, Claudia Yvonne; Silvani, Antonio; Botturi, Andrea; Gaviani, Paola; Sarno, Lucio; Salmaggi, Andrea.
In: Supportive Care in Cancer, Vol. 20, No. 6, 06.2012, p. 1327-1332.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Recurrent brain tumour
T2 - The impact of illness on patient's life
AU - Lamperti, Elena
AU - Pantaleo, Giuseppe
AU - Finocchiaro, Claudia Yvonne
AU - Silvani, Antonio
AU - Botturi, Andrea
AU - Gaviani, Paola
AU - Sarno, Lucio
AU - Salmaggi, Andrea
PY - 2012/6
Y1 - 2012/6
N2 - Purpose: Despite advances in therapies that offer improved survival rates, clinical course of brain tumours leads to a progressive functional deterioration in patients with modifications in their psychological reaction to the disease. Patients with brain tumours are rarely assessed for quality of life and psychological variables, and even fewer studies have assessed patients who have experienced a recurrence of brain tumours. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to investigate the patients with recurrent brain tumours and their reaction to the illness. Method: We enrolled 81 patients with recurrent CNS tumours. Karnofsky Performance Status scale (KPS) was used to evaluate functional status of patients; the multidimensional aspect of quality of life was assessed through "Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Brain" (FACTBr), "Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale" and "Psychological Distress Inventory". These were all used as tests of psychological well-being. Results: Distress and almost all mean FACT-Br subscale scores seemed to be significantly lower in patients, in comparison with normative data. Surprisingly, the emotional well-being mean score was significantly higher in our recurrence sample than in patients with brain tumours at first diagnosis. Anxiety seemed not to be influenced by a relapse diagnosis; instead, depression was higher and differed significantly from normative data. Low correlation between KPS and FACT-Br total and some sub-scores was found. Conclusions: Apparent dissociation between patients' judgment on their quality of life (bad except for emotional) and their reported distress (low) is the most intriguing finding, suggesting highly preserved coping strategies in the emotional sphere, despite intact judgment and disease awareness.
AB - Purpose: Despite advances in therapies that offer improved survival rates, clinical course of brain tumours leads to a progressive functional deterioration in patients with modifications in their psychological reaction to the disease. Patients with brain tumours are rarely assessed for quality of life and psychological variables, and even fewer studies have assessed patients who have experienced a recurrence of brain tumours. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to investigate the patients with recurrent brain tumours and their reaction to the illness. Method: We enrolled 81 patients with recurrent CNS tumours. Karnofsky Performance Status scale (KPS) was used to evaluate functional status of patients; the multidimensional aspect of quality of life was assessed through "Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Brain" (FACTBr), "Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale" and "Psychological Distress Inventory". These were all used as tests of psychological well-being. Results: Distress and almost all mean FACT-Br subscale scores seemed to be significantly lower in patients, in comparison with normative data. Surprisingly, the emotional well-being mean score was significantly higher in our recurrence sample than in patients with brain tumours at first diagnosis. Anxiety seemed not to be influenced by a relapse diagnosis; instead, depression was higher and differed significantly from normative data. Low correlation between KPS and FACT-Br total and some sub-scores was found. Conclusions: Apparent dissociation between patients' judgment on their quality of life (bad except for emotional) and their reported distress (low) is the most intriguing finding, suggesting highly preserved coping strategies in the emotional sphere, despite intact judgment and disease awareness.
KW - Depression
KW - Distress
KW - Quality of life
KW - Recurrent brain tumour
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84863984493&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84863984493&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s00520-011-1220-y
DO - 10.1007/s00520-011-1220-y
M3 - Article
C2 - 21725828
AN - SCOPUS:84863984493
VL - 20
SP - 1327
EP - 1332
JO - Supportive Care in Cancer
JF - Supportive Care in Cancer
SN - 0941-4355
IS - 6
ER -