Cochrane Review

Reviewing the evidence of early palliative interventions to improve outcomes for people with a primary malignant brain tumour and their carers.

The Protocol for this study was published in September 2019.

Background

Primary malignant brain tumours can have an unpredictable course but typically have a relentlessly progressive disease trajectory. Gliomas can cause profound symptom burden, affecting physical, neurocognitive, and social functioning from an early stage in the illness. This can have a significant impact on role function and on the experiences and needs of informal caregivers.

Access to specialist palliative and supportive care early in the disease trajectory, for those with high-grade tumours, has the potential to improve patients’ and caregivers’ quality of life. However, the provision of palliative and supportive care for people with primary brain tumours - and their informal caregivers - is historically ill-defined and ad hoc and the benefits of early palliative interventions have not been confirmed. It is therefore important to define the role and effectiveness of early referral to specialist palliative care services and/or the effectiveness of other interventions focused on palliating disease impact on people and their informal caregivers.

Aim

To assess the evidence base for early palliative care interventions, including referral to specialist palliative care services, for improving outcomes in people diagnosed with a primary brain tumour and their carers.

Impact

Understanding the role early referral to specialist palliative care services or effectiveness, or both of other palliative care interventions has on the parameters outlined would help guide improvement to service provision and the development of an evidence‐based model of supportive and palliative care for this patient population.

Information