Engaging carers in neuropsychological rehabilitation for brain cancer survivors: The "I'm aware: Patients And Carers Together" (ImPACT) program.

BACKGROUND: Cognitive impairment is a common late effect in child and adult brain cancer survivors (BCS). Still, there is a dearth of research aimed at therapeutic interventions and no standard treatment options for most BCS. OBJECTIVE: To describe 1) a novel neuropsychological rehabilitation program for BCS - the "I'm aware: Patients And Carers Together" (ImPACT) program, and 2) two studies that aim to assess the feasibility of the ImPACT program in child and adult BCS, respectively. The program adapts the holistic neuropsychological approach pioneered by Leonard Diller and Yehuda Ben-Yishay to an outpatient setting. METHODS: Two feasibility studies are described: 1) A single-armed study with 15 child BCS (10-17 years) (ImPACT Child); and 2) a randomized waitlist-controlled trial with 26 adult BCS (>17 years) (ImPACT Adult). In both studies, patients will undergo an 8-week program together with a cohabiting carer. Primary outcomes (i.e., cognitive and neurobehavioral symptoms), and secondary outcomes (i.e., behavioral and psychological symptoms, e.g., quality of life, fatigue) will be assessed at four time points: pre-, mid-, and post intervention, and 8 weeks follow-up. Adult waitlist controls will be assessed at equivalent time points and will be included in the intervention group after all study assessments. Semi-structured interviews will be conducted at follow-up. EXPECTED OUTCOMES: Results will provide feasibility data in support of future larger scale trials. DISCUSSION: The findings could potentially improve the management of cognitive impairment in BCS and transform available services. The program can be delivered in-person or remotely and harnesses existing resources in patients' lives.

Associations between patient-reported outcomes and radiation dose in patients treated with radiation therapy for primary brain tumours.

AIM: This study aimed to explore associations between radiation dose and patient-reported outcomes in patients with a primary non-glioblastoma brain tumour treated with radiation therapy (RT), with a focus on health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) and self-reported cognitive function. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 78 patients who had received RT for a non-glioblastoma primary brain tumour, underwent neuropsychological testing and completed questionnaires on HRQoL, cognitive function, fatigue, depression, anxiety and perceived stress. The study explores the association between HRQoL scores, self-reported cognitive function and radiation doses to total brain, brainstem, hippocampus, thalamus, temporal lobes and frontal lobes. In addition, we examined correlations between neuropsychological test scores and self-reported cognitive function. RESULTS: The median time between RT and testing was 4.6 years (range 1-9 years). Patients who had received high mean radiation doses to the total brain had low HRQoL scores (Cohen's d = 0.50, p = 0.04), brainstem (d = 0.65, p = 0.01) and hippocampus (d = 0.66, p = 0.01). High mean doses to the total brain were also associated with low scores on self-reported cognitive functioning (Cohen's d = 0.64, p = 0.02), brainstem (d = 0.55, p = 0.03), hippocampus (d = 0.76, p < 0.01), temporal lobes (d = 0.70, p < 0.01) and thalamus (d = 0.64, p = 0.01). Self-reported cognitive function correlated well with neuropsychological test scores (correlation range 0.27-0.54.). CONCLUSIONS: High radiation doses to specific brain structures may be associated with impaired HRQoL and self-reported cognitive function with potentially negative implications to patients' daily lives. Patient-reported outcomes of treatment-related side-effects and their associations with radiation doses to the brain and its sub-structures may provide important information on radiation tolerance to the brain and sub-structures.

Histopathologic and immunohistochemical analysis of the filtration bleb after unsuccessful glaucoma seton implantation.

PURPOSE: To analyze histopathologically and immunohistochemically the filtration bleb after unsuccessful glaucoma seton implantation. METHODS: A von Denffer implant and two Molteno implants that were nonfunctional at three months, at 11 months, and at five years after implantation, respectively, were compared by evaluating the adjacent bleb with light microscopy and a panel of 11 antibodies to epithelial, mesenchymal, and inflammatory cells. RESULTS: The wall of the filtration bleb three months after implantation consisted of loosely arranged collagenous connective tissue with relatively abundant fibroblasts labeled with monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) V9 and Vim 3B4 to vimentin. At 11 months and at five years, the collagenous layers had become increasingly thick and the fibroblasts scarce. All blebs showed metaplastic myofibroblasts surrounded by tenascin, as identified by MAb 1A4 to alpha-smooth muscle actin and TN2 to tenascin, respectively. One bleb was lined by a monolayer of cells that reacted with MAb CAM 5.2 and CY-90 to cytokeratin 8 and 18, respectively, and was apparently derived from the identically reacting proliferating corneal endothelial cells. Another bleb harbored many macrophages and foreign-body giant cells. Little evidence of chronic inflammation around the seton was detected. CONCLUSIONS: A glaucoma seton may induce several processes that potentially decrease filtration. In addition to formation of a collagenous cyst, presence of myofibroblasts suggests long-standing scar modulation that potentially leads to compaction of the filtration membrane. Furthermore, macrophages and corneal endothelial cells may invade the filtration bleb.