Quality of Life and Brain Cancer

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) has become an increasingly important secondary outcome in clinical trials in glioma patients. Both the tumour and its treatment may have an impact on the patients’ level of HRQoL. Anti-tumour treatments may have different toxicity profiles and therefore distinct effects on HRQoL outcomes. Frequently occurring symptoms in glioma patients, such as epilepsy, neurocognitive impairment, and depression and anxiety all have a negative effect on HRQoL scores. However, treatment of these symptoms has shown to reverse this negative impact. Post-treatment HRQoL scores are maintained in long-term survivors up to tumour recurrence, while in the end-of-life phase and as death approaches HRQoL scores further decline. Relatives of brain tumour patients are burdened with the high demands of taking care of a severely impaired patient, taking its toll on their mental functioning and well-being. Especially the end-of-life phase is a difficult period for those involved.