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Cognitive status and quality of life in
patients with suspected versus proven low-grade gliomas
J.C. Reijneveld MD,
M.M. Sitskoorn PhD, M. Klein PhD, J.
Nuyen and M.J.B. Taphoorn, MD, PhD
From the Departments of Neurology
(Drs. Reijneveld and Taphoorn) and Psychiatry (Dr. Sitskoorn and J.
Nuyen), University Medical Center Utrecht; and Department of Medical
Psychology (Dr. Klein), "Vrije Universiteit" Medical Center,
Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Address correspondence and reprint
requests to Dr. J.C. Reijneveld, Department of Neurology, G03.228,
University Medical Center Utrecht, P.O. Box 85500, 3508 GA Utrecht,
the Netherlands; e-mail: J.Reijneveld@neuro.azu.nl. Received July 27,
2000. Accepted in final form November 8, 2000.
Background. The preferred
management of patients with suspected low-grade gliomas
(S-LGG) remains controversial.
The benefits of resection or
radiotherapy early in the course of the disease have not
been proven in terms of survival.
Little is known about the
effects of early therapy on quality of life (QOL) and cognitive status.
The authors compared functional status,
QOL, and cognitive status of patients suspected of having a
LGG, in whom treatment was deferred, and patients with
proven LGG (P-LGG), who underwent early surgery.
Methods. The authors
recruited 24 patients suspected of having an LGG.
These patients were matched with 24 patients with a histologically
proven LGG and healthy control subjects for educational level,
handedness, age, and gender.
The two patient groups were also matched for tumor
laterality, use of anticonvulsants, and interval between
diagnosis and testing.
Functional status was determined in both patient
groups.
QOL and cognitive status were compared between the three
groups.
Results. Matching
criteria and functional status did not differ significantly
between groups.
Both patient groups scored worse on QOL scales than healthy
control subjects.
Unoperated patients with S-LGG scored better on most items
than patients with P-LGG.
Cognitive status was worse in both groups than in healthy control
subjects, but, again, patients with S-LGG performed better than
patients with P-LGG.
Conclusion. These data
suggest that a wait-and-see policy in patients with S-LGG
has no negative effect on cognitive performance and QOL.
© 2001 American Academy of
Neurology
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