Trial reportNeuro-oncology2026
Early palliative care for patients with glioblastoma: A randomized phase III clinical trial (EPCOG).
Trial report in Neuro-oncology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
5 citing papers in PubMed.
- Stakeholder perspectives on brain tumour care across rural-urban boundaries: a reflexive thematic analysis.BMJ open · 2026Article
- Conducting a randomized controlled clinical trial on palliative care in patients with glioblastoma - what are the challenges?Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026Article
- Palliative care interventions and outcome in patients with glioblastoma - a retrospective, single-center study.BMC palliative care · 2026Article
- Early palliative care decision in patients with primary brain tumor reduces emergency department visits and hospitalization at the end of life.Journal of neuro-oncology · 2025Article
- Detection of early alterations in radiologically normal-appearing brain regions before recurrence of high-grade glioma using multiparameter mapping and diffusion tensor imaging.Neuro-oncology advancesArticle
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
32 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundPositive effects of early integration of palliative care (EIPC) have been shown for systemic solid malignant tumors. We tested the hypothesis that EIPC improves quality of life (QoL), palliative care (PC) problems and mood in glioblastoma patients and reduces caregiver burden.
methodsThis randomized, rater-blinded, controlled trial conducted in six German university medical centers included glioblastoma patients within four weeks after diagnosis (first/recurrent) and their caregivers. Patients received standard care (control) or standard care and EIPC (intervention) for 12 months. Primary outcome was change in QoL after six months measured by the trial outcome index of the FACT-Br. Data were assessed 3-monthly for up to 24 months.
resultsBetween 05/2019 and 04/2021 patients were enrolled and randomized to the intervention (n = 109) or control group (n = 108). QoL at month six was in favor of the intervention, however not statistically significant (mean difference 4.1 with 95% CI, -4.4 to 12.6, P = .34; intervention: n = 98 (m = 54/f = 44); control: n = 89 (m = 50/f = 39)). In an analysis adjusted for time of death, performed because of a significant survival difference (control superior to intervention, P = .018), QoL was better in the intervention group (P = .041). Secondary outcomes showed that patients significantly benefited from EIPC regarding PC problems and mood especially after intervention ended, while caregivers did not seem to benefit.
conclusionsProvided that the survival difference is included in the analysis, EIPC improves QoL in glioblastoma patients. This, in addition to improved mood and PC problems, demonstrates that EIPC sustainably improves 'how to live' but not 'length of life'.
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