The prognostic value of cognitive functioning in the survival of patients with high-grade glioma.

The authors studied cognitive functioning as a potential predictor of survival in 68 newly diagnosed patients with high-grade glioma. In a combined Cox proportional hazards model, the influence of tumor, treatment, and patient characteristics, including cognitive functioning, was studied. Older age and higher tumor grade were associated with poorer survival. Although cognitive impairment was not found to be an independent prognostic factor for the entire sample, it was associated with significantly poorer survival among older patients with World Health Organization grade IV gliomas. Assessment of cognitive functioning in these patients may improve clinical decision making and thus quality of treatment.