Retrospective Characterization of Specialized Palliative Care in Patients With Gliomas

Patients with gliomas face significant challenges in daily life due to rapidly progressing neurological and cognitive symptoms. In recent years, there has been increased awareness of the importance of timely referral to specialized palliative care (SPC) for patients with gliomas. This study evaluated referral processes and interdisciplinary services used by patients with gliomas and their caregivers.

Patients with gliomas (World Health Organization [WHO] grade 2-4) treated at Odense University Hospital in Denmark from 2016 to 2020 were retrospectively identified. Data on demographics, treatment, and SPC referrals were collected from medical records and the Danish Palliative Care Database. Descriptive statistics and survival analysis were performed using STATA 17.

Among 443 patients, 185 initiated SPC, generally 7 months after the primary diagnosis. Patients with WHO grade 4 gliomas received SPC for a median of 2.5 months before death. All SPC patients had contact with both a palliative care physician and a designated contact nurse; in addition, 63% utilized the services of at least one other multidisciplinary professional, most commonly a physiotherapist. Use of the services of two or more multidisciplinary professionals was most frequent in patients under 50 years old (67%), compared with 39% of patients aged 50 to 70 years and 16% of patients over 70 years.

Patients with gliomas are often referred to SPC but typically late in their disease trajectory. The involvement of various SPC professionals underscores a significant demand for interdisciplinary support, which may be underestimated in this study. Younger patients made greater use of SPC services than older patients, indicating an age-dependent need for support from different professionals within the SPC team. Further investigation is needed, particularly in older patients.