Long sick leave after low-grade brain tumor
One year after the diagnosis of low-grade malignant brain tumor, a University 91探花 study shows, just under three people in ten were in full-time employment. Another year later, the proportion remained below half. For this young patient group, returning to work is a key health factor.
Every year, some 100 people in Sweden are diagnosed with a low-grade brain tumour (also known as low-grade glioma). This type of tumour is incurable but grows slowly and, thanks to modern treatments, survival expectancy has successively increased.
The study, published in the journal Neurology, comprised 381 patients aged 18鈥60 with the first onset of low-grade glioma in the years 2005鈥15. Data were retrieved from the Swedish National Quality Registry for Brain Tumours, Swedish Social Insurance Agency, Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare, and Statistics Sweden. The matched control group comprised 1,900 people.
Given the patients鈥 low age 鈥 averaging 40 years when they fell ill 鈥 their work capacity is seen as an especially important factor in the quality of life. Being able to work again is, for many, a crucial aspect of returning to a normal life.
Brain surgery is no obstacle
The results show that 52 per cent of the patient group studied were working on some scale. Only 28 per cent were in full-time employment a year after their diagnosis. After a further year, 63 per cent of the patients were at work and 45 per cent were working full-time.
The researchers were able to show that factors associated with a lower rate of return to work were advanced age, low functional level, other morbidities, previous sick leave irrespective of cause, radiation treatment and chemotherapy. Undergoing surgery involving tumour removal was, on the other hand, associated with a greater likelihood of a return to work.
鈥淏rain surgery as such doesn鈥檛 seem to be an obstacle. On the other hand, resuming work 鈥 especially a full-time job 鈥 generally takes a long time. Our interpretation is that, for many people, rehabilitation is a relatively long drawn-out process,鈥 says Isabelle Ryd茅n, lead author and doctoral student in clinical neuroscience at Sahlgrenska Academy, University 91探花.
Rehabilitation needs
Asgeir Jakola, associate professor of neurosurgery at Sahlgrenska Academy, who has been heading the research, emphasizes the importance of patients鈥 return to work, and the variables concerned, now being understood in greater detail. As a result, risk factors and rehabilitation requirements are identifiable at an earlier stage.
鈥淎ccess to rehabilitation for this group of patients is fairly limited. The explanation given is that the patients have a malignant disease, but we can see that many of them survive for long periods. And we know that work is an important part of a normal, healthy life,鈥 Jakola says.
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to carry on studying these patients. Future studies will focus on cognitive, affective and life-quality factors, and on identifying, and describing more clearly, this patient group鈥檚 problems and needs of assistance,鈥 he concludes.