RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVE: High-grade glioma profoundly affects patients and their families. The best ongoing care for patients completing radical treatment is uncertain. To address this issue a UK-wide audit surveying the follow-up practices of multidisciplinary cancer teams was conducted. METHOD: An online survey package was used with a paper version available. RESULTS: Of 102 clinicians approached 86 replied, a response rate of 84%. Three-monthly outpatient department appointments led by an oncologist and a specialist nurse were the norm, but more controversially, some centres conduct joint clinics with the whole neurosurgical/oncology team present or available. Nurse-led telephone follow-up in place of hospital visits is uncommon. Regular scanning is conducted despite the clinical benefits being contentious. Access to a range of allied services providing supportive care is considered, but the actual levels of need and the efficiency with which they are delivered require further investigation. CONCLUSIONS: The picture of UK follow-up practices revealed by this survey demonstrates that research is now needed to determine what preferences patients and families have for follow-up and their satisfaction with these.
RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVE: High-grade glioma profoundly affects patients and their families. The best ongoing care for patients completing radical treatment is uncertain. To address this issue a UK-wide audit surveying the follow-up practices of multidisciplinary cancer teams was conducted. METHOD: An online survey package was used with a paper version available. RESULTS: Of 102 clinicians approached 86 replied, a response rate of 84%. Three-monthly outpatient department appointments led by an oncologist and a specialist nurse were the norm, but more controversially, some centres conduct joint clinics with the whole neurosurgical/oncology team present or available. Nurse-led telephone follow-up in place of hospital visits is uncommon. Regular scanning is conducted despite the clinical benefits being contentious. Access to a range of allied services providing supportive care is considered, but the actual levels of need and the efficiency with which they are delivered require further investigation. CONCLUSIONS: The picture of UK follow-up practices revealed by this survey demonstrates that research is now needed to determine what preferences patients and families have for follow-up and their satisfaction with these.
Authors: Andrea Pace; Veronica Villani; Cristiano Parisi; Stefano Di Felice; Margaux Lamaro; Chiara Falcicchio; Alessandro Bonucci; Patrizia Pugliese; Anteo di Napoli; Domenico Di Lallo Journal: Support Care Cancer Date: 2016-07-15 Impact factor: 3.603