Abstract
Mirjam Renovanz1, Helena Tsakmaklis1, Sari Soebianto1, Isabell Neppel1, Minou Nadji-Ohl2, Manfred Beutel4, Andreas Werner4, Florian Ringel1 and Anne-Katrin Hickmann2,3
1Department of Neurosurgery, University Medical Center, Johannes-Gutenberg-University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany
2Department of Neurosurgery, Klinikum Stuttgart, Katharinenhospital, Stuttgart, Germany
3Department of Spine Surgery and Neurosurgery, Schulthess Klinik, Zürich, Switzerland
4Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center, Johannes-Gutenberg-University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany
Correspondence to:
Mirjam Renovanz, email: mirjam.renovanz@unimedizin-mainz.de
Keywords: brain tumor patients; psychosocial screening; Po-BADO; external assessment; neuro-oncology
Received: February 21, 2018 Accepted: June 22, 2018 Published: July 24, 2018
ABSTRACT
Objective: Psychosocial screening in brain tumor patients is of high importance. We applied The Basic Documentation for Psycho-Oncology Short Form (PO-Bado SF) in primary brain tumor patients and patients with metastasis. The aim was to evaluating consistency between physicians' perception and the results of the patients' self-assessment.
Materials and Methods: 140 patients with first diagnosis of a brain tumor were screened during their hospital stay (t1) using Distress Thermometer (DT) and Hornheide Screening Instrument (HSI), health-related quality of life was assessed by EORTC QLQ-C30 + BN20. After 3 (t2) and 6 months (t3), patients were re-evaluated. Attending neuro-oncologists completed the PO-Bado SF at all three time points (cut-off for being in need for support >8).
Results: At t1, the mean of the PO-Bado SF total score was 7.71 (SD = 4.08), at t2 8.22 (SD = 5.40) and at t3 7.62 (SD = 5.72).
The proportion of patients reaching a total score >8 was at t1: 43%, at t2: 41% and at t3: 47% (t1–3). Discrimination of PO-Bado SF total score, between patients in (DT ≥6) and those not in distress was more sensitive (cut-off 8.5, AUC 0.772, sens. 71.3%, spec. 67.6%) than discrimination compared to the HIS (cut-off 9.5, AUC 0.779, sens. 65.1%, spec. 77.7%). Higher PO-Bado-SF total score correlated with higher DT scores (r = 0.6, p < 0.0001) and lower EORTC GHS scores (r = −0.55, p < 0.0001).
Conclusion: Physicians' perception according to PO-Bado SF provides a different measure for psychosocial burden in patients with brain tumors, however does not completely reflect patients' wishes.