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Health-related quality of life and cognitive functioning in long-term anaplastic oligodendroglioma and oligoastrocytoma survivors

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Abstract

Overall survival of patients with anaplastic oligodendroglial tumors has been improved due to the addition of procarbazine, lomustine and vincristine (PCV) chemotherapy to radiotherapy (RT), especially in 1p/19q-codeleted tumors. With improved survival, quality of survival becomes pivotal. We evaluated cognitive functioning and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in a cohort of long-term anaplastic oligodendroglioma survivors. Thirty-two out of 37 long-term survivors included in European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) study 26951 in the Netherlands and France participated. Cognition was assessed using neuropsychological tests for 6 domains, and HRQOL with the EORTC Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) and Brain Cancer Module (EORTC QLQ-BN20). Fatigue and mood were evaluated. Results were compared to healthy controls and to patients’ own HRQOL 2.5 years following initial treatment. At the time of assessment, median survival for the patients was 147 months, 27 were still progression-free since initial treatment. Of progression-free patients, 26 % were not, and 30 % were severely cognitively impaired; 41 % were employed and 81 % could live independently. Patients’ HRQOL was worse compared to controls, but similar to 2.5 years after initial treatment. Initial treatment (RT versus RT + PCV) was not correlated with cognition or HRQOL. In conclusion, cognitive functioning in long-term anaplastic oligodendroglioma survivors is variable. However, most patients function independently. In progression-free patients, HRQOL is relatively stable during the disease course. In this small sample, no effect of the addition of PCV on cognition or HRQOL was identified.

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Conflict of interest

M.J.B. Taphoorn has had an advisory role for Roche and received research funding from the EORTC. M. Klein has had an advisory role for Hoffmann-La Roche. M.J. van den Bent has had an advisory role for MSD and received honoraria from MSD. E.J.J. Habets, S. Nederend, D. Delgadillo, K. Hoang-Xuan, A. Bottomley, A. Allgeier, T. Seute, A.M.M. Gijtenbeek, J. de Gans, R.H. Enting, C.C. Tijssen, and J.C. Reijneveld declare that they have no potential conflict of interest.

Ethical standards

The experiments comply with the current laws of the countries in which they were performed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurology, Medical Center Haaglanden, Lijnbaan 32, 2512 VA, PO Box 432, 2501 CK, The Hague, The Netherlands

    Esther J. J. Habets & Martin J. B. Taphoorn

  2. Department of Neurology, VU University Medical Center, De Boelelaan 1105, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Martin J. B. Taphoorn & Jaap C. Reijneveld

  3. Department of Medical Psychology, VU University Medical Center, Van der Boechorstraat 7, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Sylvie Nederend & Martin Klein

  4. Department of Neurology, Groupe Hospitalier, Pitié-Salpêtrière, 47-83, boulevard de l’Hôpital, 75651, Paris, France

    Daniel Delgadillo & Khê Hoang-Xuan

  5. European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Headquarters, Avenue Mounier 83/11, 1200, Brussels, Belgium

    Andrew Bottomley & Anouk Allgeier

  6. Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584 CX, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Tatjana Seute

  7. Department of Neurology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein-Zuid 10, 6525 GA, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

    Anja M. M. Gijtenbeek

  8. Department of Neurology, Academic Medical Center, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Jan de Gans & Jaap C. Reijneveld

  9. Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713 GZ, Groningen, The Netherlands

    Roelien H. Enting

  10. Department of Neurology, St Elisabeth Hospital, Hilvarenbeekseweg 60, 5022 GC, Tilburg, The Netherlands

    Cees C. Tijssen

  11. Department of Neurology/Neuro-Oncology, ErasmusMC-Daniel den Hoed Cancer Center, Groene Hilledijk 301, 3075 EA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    Martin J. van den Bent

Authors
  1. Esther J. J. Habets
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  2. Martin J. B. Taphoorn
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  3. Sylvie Nederend
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  4. Martin Klein
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  5. Daniel Delgadillo
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  6. Khê Hoang-Xuan
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  7. Andrew Bottomley
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  8. Anouk Allgeier
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  9. Tatjana Seute
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  10. Anja M. M. Gijtenbeek
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  11. Jan de Gans
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  12. Roelien H. Enting
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  13. Cees C. Tijssen
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  14. Martin J. van den Bent
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  15. Jaap C. Reijneveld
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Esther J. J. Habets.

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Habets, E.J.J., Taphoorn, M.J.B., Nederend, S. et al. Health-related quality of life and cognitive functioning in long-term anaplastic oligodendroglioma and oligoastrocytoma survivors. J Neurooncol 116, 161–168 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11060-013-1278-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11060-013-1278-0

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