Rehabilitation of cognitive dysfunction in brain tumor patients.

TPS9637 Background: Quality of life is increasingly recognized as important to comprehensive cancer care. Individuals with brain tumors face the particular challenge of cognitive impairment from their disease and/or treatment effects. Prevalent deficits in processing speed, memory, attention and executive functions interfere with patients' interpersonal relationships, occupational activities and functional independence. Standard medical care typically provides minimal education or intervention for cognitive symptoms. Cognitive rehabilitation is a relatively new field, with very few well-controlled studies in cancer patients. As a result, oncology and supportive care teams lack accessible, reliable tools to address cognitive dysfunction. Methods: Building on research in other cognitively-impaired populations, we designed two behavioural interventions for brain tumor patients. Each offers a structured yet client-centered program through 8 weekly individual treatment sessions and between-session exercises. G...