The course of quality of life and neurocognition in newly diagnosed patients with glioblastoma

Abstract Background The importance of QoL and neurocognitive functions in patients with glioblastoma (GB) is above controversy by now. We followed newly diagnosed GB patients treated with radio-chemotherapy during their course of disease by continuously evaluating their quality of life (QoL) and cognitive functions. Methods We included consecutive patients with newly diagnosed GB from 2010 to 2013 at the Medical University of Vienna. To assess QoL the EORTC QLQ C30 and BN20 questionnaire were used. Neurocognition was measured with the NeuroCog FX. The evaluations were done 6 times every three months, beginning at the beginning of radio-chemotherapy. Results 42 patients participated in this study. We also recorded QoL and neurocognition in 23 patients after the first disease progression. Patients maintained their cognitive summary score until relapse. Patients with left-sided tumors showed significant lower scores in the subscale verbal fluency than patients with right-sided tumors. The global health score of QoL decreased after the fifth evaluation (13 months after diagnosis) whereas a peak of fatigue symptoms was obtained at the third evaluation. Furthermore, fatigue symptoms increased strongly 7 months after diagnosis and patients’ financial difficulties were mentioned more frequently by younger patients and in patients with lower education levels. Conclusions QoL and cognitive long-term assessments are feasible also in some patients with GB after a symptomatic progression. Our study demonstrates maintenance of QoL and cognitive summary scales before tumor progression. Moreover, it highlights subgroups according to tumor location and socioeconomic factors.