Grading objective diagnostic components in paroxysmal events: One-year follow-up at a tertiary epilepsy center.

OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to develop a model and perform a preliminary internal validation study of the Scale for Objective Diagnostic Components of Paroxysmal Events (STAMP). METHODS: We developed STAMP, which builds on the International League Against Epilepsy task force scale for functional seizures with additional categories for epileptic seizures and syncope. We included 200 consecutive referrals to a Dutch tertiary epilepsy center to evaluate seizurelike events. We recorded demographic and clinical data and collected the clinical evaluation at referral and after 3, 6, 9, and 12 months of follow-up. We ascertained the STAMP at each time point and evaluated factors predicting an improvement in STAMP grade during follow-up. RESULTS: Of the 200 referrals at baseline, 131 were classified as having epileptic seizures, 17 as functional seizures, and three as syncope, and 49 were unclassifiable. STAMP grade at baseline was 4 (absent) in 56 individuals, 3 (circumstantial) in 78, 2 (clinically established) in six, and 1 (documented) in 11. Over time, 62 cases STAMP grades improved, and 23 remained unclassifiable. A refinement of STAMP grade during follow-up was due to successful event recordings in 34 people (30 video-electroencephalographic [EEG] recordings, four tilt table testing), home videos or clinician-witnessed events in 13, and identification of interictal EEG or magnetic resonance imaging abnormalities in seven. An improved STAMP grade after 12 months of follow-up was significantly more likely in those with higher event frequency, unclassifiable events, longer event duration, and a shorter time since the first event and less likely in those with a history suggestive of seizures. SIGNIFICANCE: This epilepsy service evaluation underscores the crucial role of event recording in improving diagnostic certainty. STAMP may be used to monitor diagnostic performance over time but requires further validation.

The relationship between pathological brain activity and functional network connectivity in glioma patients.

PURPOSE: Glioma is associated with pathologically high (peri)tumoral brain activity, which relates to faster progression. Functional connectivity is disturbed locally and throughout the entire brain, associating with symptomatology. We, therefore, investigated how local activity and network measures relate to better understand how the intricate relationship between the tumor and the rest of the brain may impact disease and symptom progression. METHODS: We obtained magnetoencephalography in 84 de novo glioma patients and 61 matched healthy controls. The offset of the power spectrum, a proxy of neuronal activity, was calculated for 210 cortical regions. We calculated patients' regional deviations in delta, theta and lower alpha network connectivity as compared to controls, using two network measures: clustering coefficient (local connectivity) and eigenvector centrality (integrative connectivity). We then tested group differences in activity and connectivity between (peri)tumoral, contralateral homologue regions, and the rest of the brain. We also correlated regional offset to connectivity. RESULTS: As expected, patients' (peri)tumoral activity was pathologically high, and patients showed higher clustering and lower centrality than controls. At the group-level, regionally high activity related to high clustering in controls and patients alike. However, within-patient analyses revealed negative associations between regional deviations in brain activity and clustering, such that pathologically high activity coincided with low network clustering, while regions with 'normal' activity levels showed high network clustering. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that pathological activity and connectivity co-localize in a complex manner in glioma. This insight is relevant to our understanding of disease progression and cognitive symptomatology.

Recommendations on the use of item libraries for patient-reported outcome measurement in oncology trials: findings from an international, multidisciplinary working group.

The use of item libraries for patient-reported outcome (PRO) measurement in oncology allows for the customisation of PRO assessment to measure key health-related quality of life concepts of relevance to the target population and intervention. However, no high-level recommendations exist to guide users on the design and implementation of these customised PRO measures (item lists) across different PRO measurement systems. To address this issue, a working group was set up, including international stakeholders (academic, independent, industry, health technology assessment, regulatory, and patient advocacy), with the goal of creating recommendations for the use of item libraries in oncology trials. A scoping review was carried out to identify relevant publications and highlight any gaps. Stakeholders commented on the available guidance for each research question, proposed recommendations on how to address gaps in the literature, and came to an agreement using discussion-based methods. Nine primary research questions were identified that formed the scope and structure of the recommendations on how to select items and implement item lists created from item libraries. These recommendations address methods to drive item selection, plan the structure and analysis of item lists, and facilitate their use in conjunction with other measures. The findings resulted in high-level, instrument-agnostic recommendations on the use of item-library-derived item lists in oncology trials.

Single-arm studies involving patient-reported outcome data in oncology: a literature review on current practice.

Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are increasingly used in single-arm cancer studies. We reviewed 60 papers published between 2018 and 2021 of single-arm studies of cancer treatment with PRO data for current practice on design, analysis, reporting, and interpretation. We further examined the studies' handling of potential bias and how they informed decision making. Most studies (58; 97%) analysed PROs without stating a predefined research hypothesis. 13 (22%) of the 60 studies used a PRO as a primary or co-primary endpoint. Definitions of PRO objectives, study population, endpoints, and missing data strategies varied widely. 23 studies (38%) compared the PRO data with external information, most often by using a clinically important difference value; one study used a historical control group. Appropriateness of methods to handle missing data and intercurrent events (including death) were seldom discussed. Most studies (51; 85%) concluded that PRO results supported treatment. Conducting and reporting of PROs in cancer single-arm studies need standards and a critical discussion of statistical methods and possible biases. These findings will guide the Setting International Standards in Analysing Patient-Reported Outcomes and Quality of Life Data in Cancer Clinical Trials-Innovative Medicines Initiative (SISAQOL-IMI) in developing recommendations for the use of PRO-measures in single-arm studies.

Regional healthy brain activity, glioma occurrence and symptomatology.

It is unclear why exactly gliomas show preferential occurrence in certain brain areas. Increased spiking activity around gliomas leads to faster tumour growth in animal models, while higher non-invasively measured brain activity is related to shorter survival in patients. However, it is unknown how regional intrinsic brain activity, as measured in healthy controls, relates to glioma occurrence. We first investigated whether gliomas occur more frequently in regions with intrinsically higher brain activity. Second, we explored whether intrinsic cortical activity at individual patients' tumour locations relates to tumour and patient characteristics. Across three cross-sectional cohorts, 413 patients were included. Individual tumour masks were created. Intrinsic regional brain activity was assessed through resting-state magnetoencephalography acquired in healthy controls and source-localized to 210 cortical brain regions. Brain activity was operationalized as: (i) broadband power; and (ii) offset of the aperiodic component of the power spectrum, which both reflect neuronal spiking of the underlying neuronal population. We additionally assessed (iii) the slope of the aperiodic component of the power spectrum, which is thought to reflect the neuronal excitation/inhibition ratio. First, correlation coefficients were calculated between group-level regional glioma occurrence, as obtained by concatenating tumour masks across patients, and group-averaged regional intrinsic brain activity. Second, intrinsic brain activity at specific tumour locations was calculated by overlaying patients' individual tumour masks with regional intrinsic brain activity of the controls and was associated with tumour and patient characteristics. As proposed, glioma preferentially occurred in brain regions characterized by higher intrinsic brain activity in controls as reflected by higher offset. Second, intrinsic brain activity at patients' individual tumour locations differed according to glioma subtype and performance status: the most malignant isocitrate dehydrogenase-wild-type glioblastoma patients had the lowest excitation/inhibition ratio at their individual tumour locations as compared to isocitrate dehydrogenase-mutant, 1p/19q-codeleted glioma patients, while a lower excitation/inhibition ratio related to poorer Karnofsky Performance Status, particularly in codeleted glioma patients. In conclusion, gliomas more frequently occur in cortical brain regions with intrinsically higher activity levels, suggesting that more active regions are more vulnerable to glioma development. Moreover, indices of healthy, intrinsic excitation/inhibition ratio at patients' individual tumour locations may capture both tumour biology and patients' performance status. These findings contribute to our understanding of the complex and bidirectional relationship between normal brain functioning and glioma growth, which is at the core of the relatively new field of 'cancer neuroscience'.

Cellular Substrates of Functional Network Integration and Memory in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy.

Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) patients are at risk of memory deficits, which have been linked to functional network disturbances, particularly of integration of the default mode network (DMN). However, the cellular substrates of functional network integration are unknown. We leverage a unique cross-scale dataset of drug-resistant TLE patients (n = 31), who underwent pseudo resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), resting-state magnetoencephalography (MEG) and/or neuropsychological testing before neurosurgery. fMRI and MEG underwent atlas-based connectivity analyses. Functional network centrality of the lateral middle temporal gyrus, part of the DMN, was used as a measure of local network integration. Subsequently, non-pathological cortical tissue from this region was used for single cell morphological and electrophysiological patch-clamp analysis, assessing integration in terms of total dendritic length and action potential rise speed. As could be hypothesized, greater network centrality related to better memory performance. Moreover, greater network centrality correlated with more integrative properties at the cellular level across patients. We conclude that individual differences in cognitively relevant functional network integration of a DMN region are mirrored by differences in cellular integrative properties of this region in TLE patients. These findings connect previously separate scales of investigation, increasing translational insight into focal pathology and large-scale network disturbances in TLE.

Is the EORTC QLQ-C30 emotional functioning scale appropriate as an initial screening measure to identify brain tumour patients who may possibly have a mood disorder?

BACKGROUND: Screening glioma patients regularly for possible mood disorders may facilitate early identification and referral of patients at risk. This study evaluated if the EORTC QLQ-C30 Emotional Functioning (EF) scale could be used as an initial screening measure to identify patients possibly having a mood disorder. METHODS: EORTC QLQ-C30 EF and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) scores were collected as part of a study assessing the impact of timing of patient-reported outcome assessments on actual health-related quality of life outcomes (N = 99). Spearman correlations and Mann-Whitney U tests were used to determine the association between the EF and HADS (sub)scales. Receiver Operating Characteristic analyses were performed to determine optimal cut-off EF scores to identify patients possibly having a mood disorder (i.e. HADS subscale score ≥8 points). RESULTS: EF and HADS (sub)scales correlated moderately (HADS-A: r = -0.65; HADS-D: r = -0.52). Significant EF score differences were found between patients with HADS ≥8 versus <8 points (HADS-A: mean difference (MD) = 32 and HADS-D: MD = 23). The EF scale had excellent (HADS-A; AUC = 0.88) and borderline excellent (HADS-D; AUC = 0.78) distinguishing capabilities. A statistically optimal (EF score <80) and a most inclusive (sensitivity of 100%, corresponding to an EF score <97) EF cut-off score correctly identified 88.0% and 96.0% of patients with a possible mood disorder, respectively. CONCLUSION: EORTC QLQ-C30 EF scale seems to be an appropriate screening measure to identify glioma patients possibly having a mood disorder in need of further assessment.

Neurocognitive impairment and patient-proxy agreement on health-related quality of life evaluations in recurrent high-grade glioma patients.

PURPOSE: The rate of missing data on patient-reported health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in brain tumor clinical trials is particularly high over time. One solution to this issue is the use of proxy (i.e., partner, relative, informal caregiver) ratings in lieu of patient-reported outcomes (PROs). In this study we investigated patient-proxy agreement on HRQOL outcomes in high-grade glioma (HGG) patients. METHODS: Generic and disease-specific HRQOL were assessed using the EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-BN20 in a sample of 501 patient-proxy dyads participating in EORTC trials 26101 and 26091. Patients were classified as impaired or intact, based on their neurocognitive performance. The level of patient-proxy agreement was measured using Lin's concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) and the Bland-Altman limit of agreement. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to evaluate differences between patients' and proxies' HRQOL. RESULTS: Patient-proxy agreement in all HGG patients (N = 501) ranged from 0.082 to 0.460. Only 18.8% of all patients were neurocognitively intact. Lin's CCC ranged from 0.088 to 0.455 in cognitively impaired patients and their proxies and from 0.027 to 0.538 in cognitively intact patients and their proxies. CONCLUSION: While patient-proxy agreement on health-related quality of life outcomes is somewhat higher in cognitively intact patients, agreement in high-grade glioma patients is low in general. In light of these findings, we suggest to cautiously consider the use of proxy's evaluation in lieu of patient-reported outcomes, regardless of patient's neurocognitive status.

Adjuvant and concurrent temozolomide for 1p/19q non-co-deleted anaplastic glioma (CATNON; EORTC study 26053-22054): second interim analysis of a randomised, open-label, phase 3 study.

BACKGROUND: The CATNON trial investigated the addition of concurrent, adjuvant, and both current and adjuvant temozolomide to radiotherapy in adults with newly diagnosed 1p/19q non-co-deleted anaplastic gliomas. The benefit of concurrent temozolomide chemotherapy and relevance of mutations in the IDH1 and IDH2 genes remain unclear. METHODS: This randomised, open-label, phase 3 study done in 137 institutions across Australia, Europe, and North America included patients aged 18 years or older with newly diagnosed 1p/19q non-co-deleted anaplastic gliomas and a WHO performance status of 0-2. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1:1:1) centrally using a minimisation technique to radiotherapy alone (59·4 Gy in 33 fractions; three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy or intensity-modulated radiotherapy), radiotherapy with concurrent oral temozolomide (75 mg/m2 per day), radiotherapy with adjuvant oral temozolomide (12 4-week cycles of 150-200 mg/m2 temozolomide given on days 1-5), or radiotherapy with both concurrent and adjuvant temozolomide. Patients were stratified by institution, WHO performance status score, age, 1p loss of heterozygosity, the presence of oligodendroglial elements on microscopy, and MGMT promoter methylation status. The primary endpoint was overall survival adjusted by stratification factors at randomisation in the intention-to-treat population. A second interim analysis requested by the independent data monitoring committee was planned when two-thirds of total required events were observed to test superiority or futility of concurrent temozolomide. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT00626990. FINDINGS: Between Dec 4, 2007, and Sept 11, 2015, 751 patients were randomly assigned (189 to radiotherapy alone, 188 to radiotherapy with concurrent temozolomide, 186 to radiotherapy and adjuvant temozolomide, and 188 to radiotherapy with concurrent and adjuvant temozolomide). Median follow-up was 55·7 months (IQR 41·0-77·3). The second interim analysis declared futility of concurrent temozolomide (median overall survival was 66·9 months [95% CI 45·7-82·3] with concurrent temozolomide vs 60·4 months [45·7-71·5] without concurrent temozolomide; hazard ratio [HR] 0·97 [99·1% CI 0·73-1·28], p=0·76). By contrast, adjuvant temozolomide improved overall survival compared with no adjuvant temozolomide (median overall survival 82·3 months [95% CI 67·2-116·6] vs 46·9 months [37·9-56·9]; HR 0·64 [95% CI 0·52-0·79], p<0·0001). The most frequent grade 3 and 4 toxicities were haematological, occurring in no patients in the radiotherapy only group, 16 (9%) of 185 patients in the concurrent temozolomide group, and 55 (15%) of 368 patients in both groups with adjuvant temozolomide. No treatment-related deaths were reported. INTERPRETATION: Adjuvant temozolomide chemotherapy, but not concurrent temozolomide chemotherapy, was associated with a survival benefit in patients with 1p/19q non-co-deleted anaplastic glioma. Clinical benefit was dependent on IDH1 and IDH2 mutational status. FUNDING: Merck Sharpe & Dohme.

Non-IDH1-R132H IDH1/2 mutations are associated with increased DNA methylation and improved survival in astrocytomas, compared to IDH1-R132H mutations.

Somatic mutations in the isocitrate dehydrogenase genes IDH1 and IDH2 occur at high frequency in several tumour types. Even though these mutations are confined to distinct hotspots, we show that gliomas are the only tumour type with an exceptionally high percentage of IDH1R132H mutations. Patients harbouring IDH1R132H mutated tumours have lower levels of genome-wide DNA-methylation, and an associated increased gene expression, compared to tumours with other IDH1/2 mutations ("non-R132H IDH1/2 mutations"). This reduced methylation is seen in multiple tumour types and thus appears independent of the site of origin. For 1p/19q non-codeleted glioma (astrocytoma) patients, we show that this difference is clinically relevant: in samples of the randomised phase III CATNON trial, patients harbouring tumours with IDH mutations other than IDH1R132H have a better outcome (hazard ratio 0.41, 95% CI [0.24, 0.71], p = 0.0013). Such non-R132H IDH1/2-mutated tumours also had a significantly lower proportion of tumours assigned to prognostically poor DNA-methylation classes (p < 0.001). IDH mutation-type was independent in a multivariable model containing known clinical and molecular prognostic factors. To confirm these observations, we validated the prognostic effect of IDH mutation type on a large independent dataset. The observation that non-R132H IDH1/2-mutated astrocytomas have a more favourable prognosis than their IDH1R132H mutated counterpart indicates that not all IDH-mutations are identical. This difference is clinically relevant and should be taken into account for patient prognostication.

Development of an EORTC questionnaire measuring instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) in patients with brain tumours: phase I-III.

PURPOSE: Being able to function independently in society is an important aspect of quality of life. This ability goes beyond self-care, requires higher order cognitive functioning, and is typically measured with instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) questionnaires. Cognitive deficits are frequently observed in brain tumour patients, however, IADL is almost never assessed because no valid and reliable IADL measure is available for this patient group. Therefore, this measure is currently being developed. METHODS: This international multicentre study followed European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Group module development guidelines. Three out of four phases are completed: phases (I) generation of items, (II) construction of the item list, and (III) pre-testing. This paper reports the item selection procedures and preliminary psychometric properties of the questionnaire. Brain tumour patients (gliomas and brain metastases), their informal caregivers, and health care professionals (HCPs) were included. RESULTS: Phase I (n = 44 patient-proxy dyads and 26 HCPs) generated 59 relevant and important activities. In phase II, the activities were converted into items. In phase III (n = 85 dyads), the 59 items were pre-tested. Item selection procedures resulted in 32 items. Exploratory factor analysis revealed a preliminary dimensional structure consisting of five scales with acceptable to excellent internal consistency (α = 0.73-0.94) and two single items. For three scales, patients with cognitive impairments had significantly more IADL problems than patients without impairments. CONCLUSION: A phase IV validation study is needed to confirm the psychometric properties of the EORTC IADL-BN32 questionnaire in a larger international sample.

International standards for the analysis of quality-of-life and patient-reported outcome endpoints in cancer randomised controlled trials: recommendations of the SISAQOL Consortium.

Patient-reported outcomes (PROs), such as symptoms, function, and other health-related quality-of-life aspects, are increasingly evaluated in cancer randomised controlled trials (RCTs) to provide information about treatment risks, benefits, and tolerability. However, expert opinion and critical review of the literature showed no consensus on optimal methods of PRO analysis in cancer RCTs, hindering interpretation of results. The Setting International Standards in Analyzing Patient-Reported Outcomes and Quality of Life Endpoints Data Consortium was formed to establish PRO analysis recommendations. Four issues were prioritised: developing a taxonomy of research objectives that can be matched with appropriate statistical methods, identifying appropriate statistical methods for PRO analysis, standardising statistical terminology related to missing data, and determining appropriate ways to manage missing data. This Policy Review presents recommendations for PRO analysis developed through critical literature reviews and a structured collaborative process with diverse international stakeholders, which provides a foundation for endorsement; ongoing developments of these recommendations are also discussed.

Effectiveness and tolerability of lacosamide as add-on therapy in patients with brain tumor-related epilepsy: Results from a prospective, noninterventional study in European clinical practice (VIBES).

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness and tolerability of lacosamide added to one or two antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) in the treatment of patients with brain tumor-related epilepsy (BTRE), and to evaluate patients' global impression of change and quality of life (QoL). METHODS: This was a prospective, multicenter, single-arm, noninterventional study with a 6-month observation period (EP0045; NCT02276053). Eligible patients (≥16 years old) had active BTRE secondary to low-grade glioma (World Health Organization grade 1 and 2) and were receiving treatment with one or two AEDs at baseline. Lacosamide was initiated by the treating physician in the course of routine clinical practice. Primary outcomes were 50% responders (≥50% reduction in focal seizure frequency from baseline) and Patient's Global Impression of Change (PGIC) at month 6. Secondary outcomes included seizure-free status and Clinical Global Impression of Change (CGIC) at month 6, change in QoL (5-Level EuroQol-5 Dimension Quality of Life Assessment) and symptom outcomes (MD Anderson Symptom Inventory-Brain Tumor) from baseline to month 6, and Kaplan-Meier estimated 6-month retention on lacosamide. Safety variables included adverse drug reactions (ADRs). RESULTS: Patients were recruited from 24 sites in Europe. Ninety-three patients received lacosamide (mean [standard deviation] age = 44.5 [14.7] years; 50 [53.8%] male; median baseline focal seizure frequency = five seizures/28 days [range = 1-280]), of whom 79 (84.9%) completed the study. At 6 months, 66 of 86 (76.7%) patients were 50% responders and 30 of 86 (34.9%) were seizure-free. Improvements on PGIC were reported by 49 of 76 (64.5%) patients. Based on CGIC, 52 of 81 (64.2%) patients improved. QoL and symptoms outcome measures remained stable. Kaplan-Meier estimated 6-month retention rate was 86.0% (N = 93). Fifteen (16.1%) patients reported ADRs; four (4.3%) had ADRs leading to discontinuation (N = 93). SIGNIFICANCE: Results of this prospective, noninterventional study suggest that add-on lacosamide is effective and generally well tolerated in patients with BTRE.

Healthcare utilization and productivity loss in glioma patients and family caregivers: the impact of treatable psychological symptoms.

BACKGROUND: Gliomas are associated with significant healthcare burden, yet reports of costs are scarce. While many costs are unavoidable there may be treatable symptoms contributing to higher costs. We describe healthcare and societal costs in glioma patients at high risk for depression and their family caregivers, and explore relationships between costs and treatable symptoms. METHODS: Data from a multicenter randomized trial on effects of internet-based therapy for depressive symptoms were used (NTR3223). Costs of self-reported healthcare utilization, medication use, and productivity loss were calculated for patients and caregivers separately. We used generalized linear regression models to predict costs with depressive symptoms, fatigue, cognitive complaints, tumor grade (low-/high-grade), disease status (stable or active/progression), and intervention (use/non-use) as predictors. RESULTS: Multiple assessments from baseline through 12 months from 91 glioma patients and 46 caregivers were used. Mean overall costs per year were M = €20,587.53 (sd = €30,910.53) for patients and M = €5,581.49 (sd = €13,102.82) for caregivers. In patients, higher healthcare utilization costs were associated with more depressive symptoms; higher medication costs were associated with active/progressive disease. In caregivers, higher overall costs were linked with increased caregiver fatigue, cognitive complaints, and lower patient tumor grade. Higher healthcare utilization costs were related to more cognitive complaints and lower tumor grade. More productivity loss costs were associated with increased fatigue (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: There are substantial healthcare and societal costs for glioma patients and caregivers. Associations between costs and treatable psychological symptoms indicate that possibly, adequate support could decrease costs. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Netherlands Trial Register NTR3223.

Postoperative oscillatory brain activity as an add-on prognostic marker in diffuse glioma.

INTRODUCTION: Progression-free survival (PFS) in glioma patients varies widely, even when stratifying for known predictors (i.e. age, molecular tumor subtype, presence of epilepsy, tumor grade and Karnofsky performance status). Neuronal activity has been shown to accelerate tumor growth in an animal model, suggesting that brain activity may be valuable as a PFS predictor. We investigated whether postoperative oscillatory brain activity, assessed by resting-state magnetoencephalography is of additional value when predicting PFS in glioma patients. METHODS: We included 27 patients with grade II-IV gliomas. Each patient's oscillatory brain activity was estimated by calculating broadband power (0.5-48 Hz) in 56 epochs of 3.27 s and averaged over 78 cortical regions of the Automated Anatomical Labeling atlas. Cox proportional hazard analysis was performed to test the predictive value of broadband power towards PFS, adjusting for known predictors by backward elimination. RESULTS: Higher broadband power predicted shorter PFS after adjusting for known prognostic factors (n = 27; HR 2.56 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.15-5.70); p = 0.022). Post-hoc univariate analysis showed that higher broadband power also predicted shorter overall survival (OS; n = 38; HR 1.88 (95% CI 1.00-3.54); p = 0.038). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that postoperative broadband power is of additional value in predicting PFS beyond already known predictors.

Advance care planning in glioblastoma patients: development of a disease-specific ACP program.

BACKGROUND: It is unknown if the implementation of an advance care planning (ACP) program is feasible in daily clinical practice for glioblastoma patients. We aimed to develop an ACP program and assess the preferred content, the best time to introduce such a program in the disease trajectory, and possible barriers and facilitators for participation and implementation. METHODS: A focus group with health care professionals (HCPs) and individual semi-structured interviews with patients and proxies (of both living and deceased patients) were conducted. RESULTS: All predefined topics were considered relevant by participants, including the current situation, worries/fears, (supportive) treatment options, and preferred place of care/death. Although HCPs and proxies of deceased patients indicated that the program should be implemented relatively early in the disease trajectory, patient-proxy dyads were more ambiguous. Several patient-proxy dyads indicated that the program should be initiated later in the disease trajectory. If introduced early, topics about the end of life should be postponed. A frequently mentioned barrier for participation was that the program would be too confronting, while a facilitator was adequate access to information. CONCLUSION: This study resulted in an ACP program specifically for glioblastoma patients. Although participants agreed on the program content, the optimal timing of introducing such a program was a matter of debate. Our solution is to offer the program shortly after diagnosis but let patients and proxies decide which topics they want to discuss and when. The impact of the program on several patient- and care-related outcomes will be evaluated in the next step.

Prognostic value of patient-reported outcomes from international randomised clinical trials on cancer: a systematic review.

A previous review published in 2008 highlighted the prognostic significance of baseline patient-reported outcomes (PROs) as independent predictors of the overall survival of patients with cancer in clinical studies. In response to the methodological limitations of studies included in the previous review, recommendations were subsequently published in the same year to promote a higher level of methodological rigour in studies of prognostic factors. Our systematic review aimed to provide an update on progress with the implementation of these recommendations and to assess whether the methodological quality of prognostic factor analyses has changed over time. Of the 44 studies published between 2006 and 2018 that were included in our review, more standardisation and rigour of the methods used for prognostic factor analysis was found compared with the previous review. 41 (93%) of the trials reported at least one PRO domain as independently prognostic. The most common significant prognostic factors reported were physical functioning (17 [39%] studies) and global health or quality of life (15 [34%] studies). These findings highlight the value of PROs as prognostic or stratification factors in research across most types of cancer.

Evaluation of the content coverage of questionnaires containing basic and instrumental activities of daily living (ADL) used in adult patients with brain tumors.

BACKGROUND: Everyday functioning can be assessed using measures of basic activities of daily living (BADL) or instrumental activities of daily living (IADL). The aim of this review was to provide an overview of the scope and specific content of BADL and/or IADL covered by currently used questionnaires in adult brain tumor patient studies. METHODS: Electronic databases were searched up to April 2017 to identify all eligible questionnaires with items regarding BADL/IADL in studies with adult brain tumor patients. Articles were selected using predetermined in- and exclusion criteria. Items with similar content were clustered into domains based on type of activity. RESULTS: Thirty-one unique questionnaires containing at least one BADL and/or IADL item were identified; 21 and 29 questionnaires containing ≥ 1 BADL or IADL item, respectively. The percentage of ADL items in these questionnaires ranged from 4 to 100%. Only two questionnaires were specifically developed to measure BADL (Barthel Index and Katz-ADL) and two specifically for IADL (Lawton-Brody IADL and preliminary IADL-BN). Content clustering revealed that IADL had a larger variation in content (31 domains, e.g. work or leisure time activities) compared to BADL (15 domains, e.g. mobility or bathing/washing). CONCLUSION: Thirty-one questionnaires previously used in brain tumor studies contained items on BADL and/or IADL and covered a wide range of content, in particular for IADL. It is currently unclear which BADL/IADL are most relevant for brain tumor patients, and this should therefore be evaluated. Next, existing questionnaires could be adapted or validated, or new measures can be developed to meet these needs.

Efficacy and cost-utility of the eHealth application 'Oncokompas', supporting patients with incurable cancer in finding optimal palliative care, tailored to their quality of life and personal preferences: a study protocol of a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Patients with incurable cancer have to deal with a wide range of symptoms due to their disease and treatment, influencing their quality of life. Nowadays, patients are expected to adopt an active role in managing their own health and healthcare. Oncokompas is an eHealth self-management application developed to support patients in finding optimal palliative care, tailored to their quality of life and personal preferences. A randomized controlled trial will be carried out to determine the efficacy and cost-utility of Oncokompas compared to care as usual. METHODS: 136 adult patients with incurable lung, breast, colorectal and head and neck cancer, lymphoma and glioma, will be included. Eligible patients have no curative treatment options and a prognosis of at least three months. Patients will be randomly assigned to the intervention group or the control group. The intervention group directly has access to Oncokompas alongside care as usual, while the waiting list control group receives care as usual and will have access to Oncokompas after three months. The primary outcome measure is patient activation, which can be described as a patient's knowledge, skills and confidence to manage his or her own health and healthcare. Secondary outcome measures comprise self-efficacy, health-related quality of life, and costs. Measures will be assessed at baseline, two weeks after randomization, and three months after the baseline measurement. DISCUSSION: This study will result in knowledge on the efficacy and cost-utility of Oncokompas among patients with incurable cancer. Also, more knowledge will be generated into the need for and costs of palliative care from a societal and healthcare perspective. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Netherlands Trial Register identifier: NTR 7494 . Registered on 24 September 2018.