Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 20, 2026
Translational Brain Mapping at the University of Rochester Medical Center: Preserving the Mind Through Personalized Brain Mapping
Published on: August 12, 2019
Optimising communication function in primary brain tumour: a randomised controlled trial of CanCommunicate
Emma Finch1,2,3, Erin Kelly1,4, Philippa Butler1
1Speech Pathology Department, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Purpose:
To evaluate the efficacy of CanCommunicate for improving perceived communication disability and quality of life in people with brain tumour, compared to usual care.
Materials & Methods:
A randomised trial with a waitlist control was used. Participants were randomised to CanCommunicate (immediate intervention) or a wait list (control). CanCommunicate involved a 7-week communication intervention guided by Goal Attainment Scaling with group and individualised sessions. Participants completed the Comprehensive Aphasia Test Disability Questionnaire (CAT DQ), Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - General (FACT-G), La Trobe Communication questionnaire (LCQ) and semi-structured interviews at baseline and post-intervention.
Results:
39 people participated (Immediate intervention n = 24, waitlist n = 15). There was a significant between-group difference on the CAT DQ over time (p = 0.04) in favour of the intervention group, but not for the LCQ (p = 0.58) or FACT-G (p = 0.80). When data were combined for all participants who completed CanCommunicate (n = 23), ratings were significantly improved on the CAT-DQ (p < 0.001) and LCQ (p = 0.04) at 6-week follow-up. Participants perceived CanCommunicate favourably and made suggestions for further optimisation.
Conclusion:
The current study supports the benefits of communication intervention for people with brain tumour and reinforces the need for tailored, goal-based interventions.
