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Patients with high-grade gliomas (HGG) and their caregivers have to confront a very aggressive disease that produces major lifestyle disruptions. There is an interest in studying the ability of patients and their caregivers to cope with the difficulties that affect quality of life (QoL). We examine, in a sample of patient-caregiver dyads in the specific context of newly diagnosed cases of HGG, whether the QoL of patients and caregivers is influenced by the coping processes they and their relatives use from a specific actor-partner interdependence model (APIM). This cross-sectional study involved 42 dyads with patients having recent diagnoses of HGG and assessed in the time-frame between diagnosis and treatment initiation. The self-reported data included QoL (Patient-Generated Index, EORTC QLQ-C30, and CareGiver Oncology QoL), emotional status, and coping strategies (BriefCope). The APIM was used to test the dyadic effects of coping strategies on QoL. Coping strategies, such as social support, avoidance, and problem solving, exhibited evidence of either an actor effect (degree to which the individual's coping strategies are associated with their own QoL) or partner effect (degree to which the individual's coping strategies are associated with the QoL of the other member of the dyad) for patients or caregivers. For positive-thinking coping strategies, actor and partner effect were not observed. This study emphasizes that the QoL for patients and their caregivers was directly related to the coping strategies they used. This finding suggests that targeted interventions should be offered to help patients and their relatives to implement more effective coping strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prognosis of oncology patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) is considered poor. Our objective was to analyze the characteristics and predictive factors of death in the ICU and functional outcome following ICU treatment for neuro-oncology patients. A retrospective study was conducted on all patients with primary brain tumor admitted to our institutional ICU for medical indications. Predictive impact on the risk of death in the ICU was analyzed as well as the functional status was evaluated prior and following ICU discharge. Seventy-one patients were admitted to the ICU. ICU admission indications were refractory seizures (41 %) and septic shock (17 %). On admission, 16 % had multi-organ failure. Ventilation was necessary for 41 % and catecholamines for 13 %. Twenty-two percent of patients died in the ICU. By multivariate analysis, predictive factors associated with an increased risk of ICU death were: non-neurological cause of admission [p = 0.045; odds ratio (OR) 5.405], multiple organ failure (p = 0.021; OR 8.027), respiratory failure (p = 0.006; OR 9.615), and hemodynamic failure (p = 0.008; OR 10.111). In contrast, tumor type (p = 0.678) and disease control status (p = 0.380) were not associated with an increased risk of ICU death. Among the 35 evaluable patients, 77 % presented with a stable or improved Karnofsky performance status following ICU hospitalization compared with the ongoing status before discharge. In patients with primary brain tumor admitted to the ICU, predictive factors of death appear to be similar to those described in non-oncology patients. ICU hospitalization is generally not associated with a subsequent decrease in the functional status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Bevacizumab has demonstrated activity in patients with recurrent glioblastoma. However, the impact of prognostic factors associated with recurrent glioblastoma treated with cytotoxic agents has not been determined in patients treated with bevacizumab. To analyze the prognostic factors and clinical benefits of bevacizumab and irinotecan treatment in patients with recurrent glioblastoma. This monocentric study retrospectively analyzed all patients with recurrent glioblastoma who were treated with at least one cycle of bevacizumab and irinotecan at our institution from April 2007 to May 2010. Multivariate analysis was used to analyze prognostic factors for overall survival (OS) from the initiation of bevacizumab administration. Among the 100 patients that were identified (M/F: 65/35), the median age was 57.9 years (range: 18-76). Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) was <70 in 44 patients and ≥70 in 56 patients; 83 % of the patients were on steroids. The median tumor area was 2012 mm. The median progression free survival was 3.9 months (CI 95 %: 3.4-4.3). The median OS was 6.5 months (CI 95 %: 5.6-7.4). Multivariate analysis revealed that OS was affected by KPS ( p = 0.024), but not by gender, age, steroid treatment, number of previous lines of treatment, tumor size, or time from initial diagnosis. KPS was improved in 30 patients, including 14/44 patients with an initial KPS <70. The median duration of maintained functional independence (KPS ≥70) was 3.75 months (CI 95 %: 2.9-4.6). The median OS from initial diagnosis was 18.9 months (CI 95 %: 17.5-20.3). In patients with recurrent glioblastoma treated with bevacizumab, KPS was revealed as the only factor to impact OS. The clinical benefits associated with this regimen appear valuable. A positive impact of bevacizumab administration on OS of patients with glioblastoma multiforme is suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]