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Health-related quality of life in patients with high-grade gliomas: a quantitative longitudinal study

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Abstract

The diagnosis of a high-grade glioma usual is followed by functional impairment(s), cognitive decline and an impaired psycho-social well-being. This might well have a significant and negative impact on the health related quality of life. The purpose of this study was to explore physical activity levels, prevalence and severity of anxiety and depressive symptoms and health-related quality of life among patients with a highgrade glioma. This paper is based on a longitudinal mixed methods study. Patients (n = 30) completed questionnaires at 5 time points from time of diagnosis until the final follow-up after 1 year. Scores of Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS), physical activity, anxiety and depression and health-related quality of life (FACT-Br) are obtained. Patients’ physical activity level and KPS decrease during the disease- and treatment trajectory. The majority of patients did not report any depressive symptoms, eight individuals (26.7 %) being depressed at various time points. Among a sub-group of participants who completed all study requirements for the entire study period the level of anxiety decreased significantly during the study. The FACT-Br sub-scale of emotional well-being increased significant, indicating a better HRQOL attend of followup. The diagnosis of a HGG leads to an ongoing functional decline measured as a decline of the KPS and a reduced physical activity during leisure time. Supportive care combined with rehabilitative and palliative approaches might well be valuable along the trajectory especially during the post-surgery period when anxiety is at its highest peak.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to the participants and to the physicians and nurses at the Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital of Copenhagen who supported recruitment. The study is supported by grants from The Center for Integrated Rehabilitation of Cancer Patients [CIRE], established by The Danish Cancer Society and The Novo Nordisk Foundation, from The Neuro Centre at the University Hospital of Copenhagen, The Novo Nordisk Foundation for Clinical Nursing Research, The Capital Regional Research Foundation in Denmark, Torben and Alice Frimodts Foundation, Vera and Flemming Westerbergs Foundation, Hetland Olsen’s Foundation and The Research Foundation at the University Hospital of Copenhagen.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurosurgery, The University Hospital of Copenhagen, Rigshospitalet, UCSF 9701, Blegdamsvej 9, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark

    K. Piil & M. Juhler

  2. The University Hospitals Center for Health Research (UCSF) and Center for Integrated Rehabilitation of Cancer Patients (CIRE), Blegdamsvej 9, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark

    K. Piil & M. Jarden

  3. Neuroscience Center, The University Hospital of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 9, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark

    J. Jakobsen

  4. Section of Biostatistics, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark

    K. B. Christensen

  5. Section of Neurology, Psychiatry and Sensory Sciences, Department of Clinical Medicine, The University of Copenhagen, Nørregade 10, 1017, Copenhagen K., Denmark

    M. Juhler

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Correspondence to K. Piil.

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Piil, K., Jakobsen, J., Christensen, K.B. et al. Health-related quality of life in patients with high-grade gliomas: a quantitative longitudinal study. J Neurooncol 124, 185–195 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11060-015-1821-2

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