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Easing the Journey—an Updated Review of Palliative Care for the Patient with High-Grade Glioma

  • Neuro-oncology (KS Nevel, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Oncology Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

High-grade gliomas (HGG) are rare brain tumors that cause disproportionate suffering and mortality. Palliative care, whose aim is to relieve the symptoms and stressors of serious illness, may benefit patients with HGG and their families. In this review, we summarize the extant literature and provide recommendations for addressing the symptom management and communication needs of brain tumor patients and their caregivers at key points in the illness trajectory: initial diagnosis; during upfront treatment; disease recurrence; end-of-life period; and after death during bereavement.

Recent Findings

Patients with HGG experience highly intrusive symptoms, cognitive and functional decline, and emotional and existential distress throughout the disease course. The caregiver burden is also substantial during the patient’s illness and after death. There is limited evidence to guide the palliative management of these issues.

Summary

Palliative care is likely to benefit patients with HGG, yet further research is needed to optimize the delivery of palliative care in neuro-oncology.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1468 Madison Ave, 1052, NY, 10029, New York, USA

    Rita C. Crooms

  2. Brookdale Department of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA

    Rita C. Crooms

  3. Department of Neurosurgery, Duke University Medical Center, Trent Drive 047 Baker House, Durham, NC, 27710, USA

    Margaret O. Johnson

  4. The Preston Robert Tirsch Brain Tumor Center, Duke University Medical Center, Trent Drive 047 Baker House, NC, 27710, Durham, USA

    Margaret O. Johnson

  5. Neuro-Oncology Branch, National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute, 9030 Old Georgetown Rd, Bloch Bldg 82, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA

    Heather Leeper

  6. Palliative Care Program, Division of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Baltimore, 21224, MD, USA

    Ambereen Mehta & Michelle McWhirter

  7. Division of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Baltimore, 21224, MD, USA

    Ambereen Mehta

  8. Department of Social Work, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Baltimore, 21224, MD, USA

    Michelle McWhirter

  9. Department of Translational Neurosciences, Pacific Neuroscience Institute/Saint John’s Cancer Institute, 2200 Santa Monica Blvd, Santa Monica, CA, 90404, USA

    Akanksha Sharma

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Crooms, R.C., Johnson, M.O., Leeper, H. et al. Easing the Journey—an Updated Review of Palliative Care for the Patient with High-Grade Glioma. Curr Oncol Rep 24, 501–515 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11912-022-01210-6

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