P15.17.A END-OF-LIFE CHALLENGES IN NEURO-ONCOLOGICAL PATIENT CARE: A YOUNGNOA SURVEY

Abstract BACKGROUND Malignant brain tumors inevitably recur, leading to progressive neurological decline. Palliative care is essential for optimizing patient outcomes, yet its integration into neuro-oncology remains inconsistent. We conducted a nationwide survey to evaluate palliative care practices among German neuro-oncologists and assessed the impact of physicians’ comfort on end-of-life discussions in patient care. MATERIAL AND METHODS A nationwide, anonymous survey was distributed to 481 neuro-oncologists who are members of the Neuro-oncology Working Group of the German Cancer Society. The questionnaire, developed in collaboration with board-certified palliative care specialists, evaluated physicians’ demographic characteristics, palliative care knowledge, and access to palliative care resources. RESULTS Of 92 respondents, 81 (88%) reported comfort in discussing end-of-life issues, while 11 (12%) expressed discomfort. Physicians comfortable with these discussions more frequently addressed withholding of life-sustaining interventions (88% versus 55%, p=0.011), arranged home care (81% versus 64%, p=0.019), and facilitated hospice placement (68% versus 36%, p=0.021). They also initiated these conversations earlier and observed greater patient receptivity to palliative care (p=0.049). These associations remained significant in multivariable logistic regression. CONCLUSION While most neuro-oncologists report comfort with end-of-life discussions, this comfort strongly influences timing and extent of palliative care integration. Our findings highlight the need for structured palliative care training to ensure timely and effective discussions, ultimately improving care for neuro-oncological patients.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Neuro-Oncology
Published
2025-10-01
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1093/neuonc/noaf193.507
Primary Topic
Palliative Care and End-of-Life Issues
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

P15.17.A END-OF-LIFE CHALLENGES IN NEURO-ONCOLOGICAL PATIENT CARE: A YOUNGNOA SURVEY

Martin Glas, Corinna Seliger, Christoph Kleinschnitz, Raphael Bodensohn et al.
Neuro-Oncology
Palliative Care and End-of-Life Issues
article

P15.17.A END-OF-LIFE CHALLENGES IN NEURO-ONCOLOGICAL PATIENT CARE: A YOUNGNOA SURVEY

Martin Glas, Corinna Seliger, Christoph Kleinschnitz, Raphael Bodensohn, Niklas Benedikt Pepper, Peter Klein, Sied Kebir, Peter Hau, Lazaros Lazaridis, Ulrich Sure, Robert Allen Berg, Stephanie Elisabeth Combs, Michael Müther, Michael Platten, Patrik Roser, Christoph Oster, I Mildenberger, S Agkatsev, Sabine Seidel, Ghazaleh Tabatabai, Seema Sharma, Bernhard Mallmann
article en

Abstract

Abstract BACKGROUND Malignant brain tumors inevitably recur, leading to progressive neurological decline. Palliative care is essential for optimizing patient outcomes, yet its integration into neuro-oncology remains inconsistent. We conducted a nationwide survey to evaluate palliative care practices among German neuro-oncologists and assessed the impact of physicians’ comfort on end-of-life discussions in patient care. MATERIAL AND METHODS A nationwide, anonymous survey was distributed to 481 neuro-oncologists who are members of the Neuro-oncology Working Group of the German Cancer Society. The questionnaire, developed in collaboration with board-certified palliative care specialists, evaluated physicians’ demographic characteristics, palliative care knowledge, and access to palliative care resources. RESULTS Of 92 respondents, 81 (88%) reported comfort in discussing end-of-life issues, while 11 (12%) expressed discomfort. Physicians comfortable with these discussions more frequently addressed withholding of life-sustaining interventions (88% versus 55%, p=0.011), arranged home care (81% versus 64%, p=0.019), and facilitated hospice placement (68% versus 36%, p=0.021). They also initiated these conversations earlier and observed greater patient receptivity to palliative care (p=0.049). These associations remained significant in multivariable logistic regression. CONCLUSION While most neuro-oncologists report comfort with end-of-life discussions, this comfort strongly influences timing and extent of palliative care integration. Our findings highlight the need for structured palliative care training to ensure timely and effective discussions, ultimately improving care for neuro-oncological patients.

Neuro-OncologyVol. 27(Supplement_3)
University of Mannheim (DE), Heidelberg University (DE), University Hospital Heidelberg (DE), TUM Klinikum (DE), University Hospital Regensburg (DE), Katholisches Klinikum Lünen/Werne , St.-Marien-Hospital Lünen (DE), University Hospital of Zurich (CH), University Hospital Münster (DE), Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Heidelberg-Mannheim (DE), Universitätsklinikum Knappschaftskrankenhaus Bochum (DE), Essen University Hospital (DE), University Children's Hospital Tübingen (DE), Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research (DE), Alfried Krupp Hospital (DE), University Medical Centre Mannheim (DE), University of Duisburg-Essen (DE), Ruhr University Bochum (DE)
Openalex Percentile: Top 63%
Palliative Care and End-of-Life Issues
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.