Psychooncological aspects on patients with brain tumors

In patients suffering from brain tumors, psychooncological care improves quality of life, enhances patients' adherence, strengthens personal and family members' resources, and therefore diminishes secondary problems. However, psychooncological screening in a standardized manner is not established yet. Depending on the screening instrument, approximately 20 to 50% of the patients hospitalized due to acute disease as well as approximately one third outpatients are burdened above threshold. Since measurable medical conditions (i.e. tumor grade or tumor localisation) or sociodemographic measures (i.e. age or sex) are not necessarily correlated with psychosocial stress, and since third person appreciation is insufficient, screening of all patients is irremissible. All screening instruments recommended by the German Cancer Aid for cancer patients can be applied; however the distress thermometer is the only validated screening tool in patients with brain tumors. Patients with results above threshold should routinely be subjected to a personalized psychooncological intervention. Ideally, symptom-based care should be provided by the according specialist of the interdisciplinary team.