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Abstract Details

Prognostic Awareness and Illness Understanding in Patients with Malignant Glioma and their Caregivers
Neuro-oncology
S30 - Brain Cancer: From Epidemiology to Quality of Life (4:14 PM-4:25 PM)
005
Malignant gliomas (MGs) are rapidly progressive, incurable tumors. Patients with glioblastoma, the most common MG, have a median survival of approximately 14 months when treated aggressively. Despite this poor prognosis, data are lacking on patients’ and caregivers’ illness understanding, treatment goals, and communication preferences.  We assessed PA in patients with MG and their caregivers 3 months post-diagnosis.
To develop a better understanding of prognostic awareness, treatment goals, and communication preferences among patients with malignant gliomas and their primary caregivers.
We conducted a prospective study in patients with MG and their caregivers. At 3 months post-diagnosis, we administered to patients and caregivers the Prognosis and Treatment Perceptions Questionnaire, which assesses illness understanding, treatment goals, and likelihood of cure.
At 3 months post-diagnosis, 82.9% (68/82) of patients and 81.3% (52/64) of caregivers reported that knowing prognosis is “extremely” or “very” important to them, yet only 42.6% (35/82) of patients and 60.9% (39/64) of caregivers reported accurate PA (defined as responses of “unlikely,” “very unlikely,” or “no” chance of cure).  46.3% (38/82) of patients and 46.9% (30/64) of caregivers reported that their oncologist’s primary goal was to extend life as long as possible, while 25.6% (21/82) of patients and 10.9% (7/64) of caregivers stated that their oncologist’s goal was to cure their cancer. Patients’ primary goal was most frequently curative [40.2% (33/82)], while caregivers most often presumed that patients’ primary goal was to extend life as long as possible [43.8% (28/64)].
Patients with MG and their caregivers report that PA is important, but most patients and, to a lesser degree, caregivers have inaccurate PA.  Additionally, patients’ goals of treatment often differ from caregivers’ perceptions of patients’ goals and from their oncologists’ presumed goals.  Further investigation of interventions to improve communication about prognosis among patients with MG, their caregivers, and their oncologists is warranted.
Authors/Disclosures
Deborah Forst, MD
PRESENTER
Dr. Forst has stock in Eli Lilly. Dr. Forst has received research support from Conquer Cancer Foundation of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. Dr. Forst has received research support from Palliative Care Research Cooperative Group. Dr. Forst has received research support from American Cancer Society Institutional Research Grant.
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Areej El-Jawahri No disclosure on file
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