Evaluation of a telehealth psychological support intervention for people with primary brain tumour and their family members: Study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

Abstract

Objective There is a lack of research on interventions that address the specific psychosocial needs of people with brain tumour and their families. This paper describes the protocol for a pragmatic randomised control trial (RCT) evaluating the clinical efficacy and cost‐effectiveness of the Making Sense of Brain Tumour program delivered via telehealth (Tele‐MAST) relative to standard care. Methods The 148 adults with primary brain tumour will be randomly allocated to the 10‐session Tele‐MAST videoconferencing program or standard care from a cancer counselling service. The primary outcome is level of depression and secondary outcomes are quality of life, mental health and incremental cost per quality‐adjusted life year. The mental health and quality of life of family members will also be assessed. Assessments will be conducted at pre‐intervention, post‐intervention (primary endpoint), 6‐weeks post‐intervention and 6‐months post‐intervention. The main analysis will determine whether the Tele‐MAST intervention is more effective than standard care at post‐intervention, and whether these effects are sustained at follow‐up. Conclusion Results will indicate whether the Tele‐MAST program is associated with better clinical outcomes and is more cost‐effective than existing cancer support services. Such outcomes will contribute to effective and accessible psychosocial care for the brain tumour population.

Neuro-Oncological Symptoms: A Longitudinal Quantitative Study of Family Function, Perceived Support, and Caregiver Burden

“…It has been suggested that future studies within the neuro-cognitively impaired patients with dementia should assess the family dynamics and health problems of caregivers, and develop appropriate family-centered interventions that focus on strengthening interfamily support and respite services to alleviate caregiver burden (Liu & Huang, 2018). The value of incorporating a family perspective in neuro-oncological care is recommended (Crooms et al, 2020;Philip et al, 2018), with growing dyadic interventions (Milbury et al, 2019;Ownsworth et al, 2019;Xiao et al, 2018) that acknowledge the neuro-oncological caregivers' valuable support.…”

Is the EORTC QLQ‐C30 emotional functioning scale appropriate as an initial screening measure to identify brain tumour patients who may possibly have a mood disorder?

“…As there are currently psychological care and interventions available to improve the psychological well‐being of brain tumour patients, 41 , 42 , 43 it is important to identify which patients in a clinical practice setting might benefit. This study determined two EF cut‐off scores to identify patients possibly having a mood disorder, a statistically optimal cut‐off score and a cut‐off score that was most inclusive (i.e., including all patients with any reported symptoms).…”

Telemedicine for Outpatient Neurosurgical Oncology Care: Lessons Learned for the Future During the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…8 Its use in neurosurgical oncology has been limited to institutional collaborations, rehabilitation, and psychological support. [9][10][11][12] This knowledge gap poses a challenge to optimal delivery of outpatient care, particularly in the current pandemic. Given our institutions' early adoption of telemedicine, we summarize the necessary capabilities and recommendations for the incorporation of telemedicine in outpatient surgical neuro-oncology sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic, with the expectation that this technology continues to be optimized and used beyond this period.…”