Impact of current treatments on glioma patients’ life (con’t)

In the survey, most participants worked full-time when they received their diagnosis due to their younger age. Their disease treatments have a tremendous impact on their working capabilities. Also, all participants mentioned that their disease significantly impacted their financial situation. While 42% of participants disengaged from active life by adhering to a long-term disability program or taking early retirement, 17% needed to reduce their hours or change career paths, and only 36% of the participants kept their employment. Of these 36% of participants who stayed at work during their treatment or returned to work after, two-thirds are severely affected by their treatment. The high impact on their financial situation can explain their returntoworkdespitepoorhealthandproductivity.

Disease treatments also affect caregivers. 60% of participants mentioned that their caregivers had to miss work, reduce their hours, change career paths or retire earlier to support them in theirtreatmentjourney.

Activetreatmentsoverview

In the survey, most participants received surgery (90%), 59% received chemotherapy, and 46% received radiotherapy. While 36% of participants received only surgery, most patients received a combination of treatments. A third of the participants received all three treatments. Less than 10% of participants tolerate them well, well enough to have a minimal impact on their productivity and physical capabilities. Only two participants who received a combination of three treatments experienced few side effects and a minimal effect on their physical capacity so theycouldcontinueworkingandhaveagoodqualityoflife(QoL).

WatchandWait

53% of the participants were observed actively instead of receiving an active treatment. This clinical strategy was stressful for 94% of participants and highly anxiogenic for 70% of the participants. Access to treatments delaying the disease progression could alleviate this stress in 50%oftheparticipants.

Whydotreatmentsimpactthefinancialsituationsomuch?

Most participants will stop working for surgery and radiotherapy. They tend to return to work after 6 to 12 months. However, the recuperation period can last more than a year for 10% of participants.

Half of the patients will continue to work during chemotherapy, and they will miss an average of 1 to 2 days per week for their treatment. Patients who stop working during chemotherapy tend to come back to work between 6 and 12 months, but the recuperation period can last over 12 months.