Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41102587›Full record

ArticleSupportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer2025

Defining the symptoms of personality and behaviour changes in brain tumour patients and their impact on caregivers.

Emma McDougall, Haryana M Dhillon, Karin Piil, Lauren J Breen, Anna K Nowak, Sara Nordentoft, Sine Kjærgaard, Georgia K B Halkett

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Article in Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Emma McDougallFaculty of Health Sciences, Curtin School of Nursing, Curtin University, Perth, Australia. emma.mcdougall@curtin.edu.au.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5085-001X
Haryana M DhillonPsycho-Oncology Cooperative Research Group, School of Psychology Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4039-5169
Karin PiilFaculty of Health Sciences, Curtin School of Nursing, Curtin University, Perth, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7972-4674
Lauren J BreenCurtin School of Population Health, Curtin University, Perth, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0463-0363
Anna K NowakMedical School, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9317-9526
Sara NordentoftFaculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5600-2644
Sine KjærgaardDepartment of Oncology, Centre for Cancer and Organ Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital; Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0005-8617-737X
Georgia K B HalkettFaculty of Health Sciences, Curtin School of Nursing, Curtin University, Perth, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4065-4044

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeThis study aimed to (i) identify how carers and healthcare professionals define and describe brain tumour-related personality and behaviour changes in adults and (ii) explore the impact of these changes on family carers.

methodsWe conducted 22 semi-structured interviews with neuro-oncology healthcare professionals working in Australia and 13 interviews with current or bereaved carers in Australia and Denmark. Definition data were analysed deductively using the Diagnostic and Statistics Manual of Mental Disorders 5th Edition Text Revision (DSM-5-TR) Personality Change Due to Another Medical Condition diagnostic criteria, and inductively to uncover new ideas related to descriptions of brain tumour-related personality and behaviour changes perceived by carers and healthcare professionals. Inductive thematic analysis was conducted to develop themes exploring the impact of patient personality and behaviour changes on carers.

resultsTwo themes were identified from participants' description of personality and behaviour changes associated with brain tumours: (i) variable presentation and multifactorial aetiology and (ii) manageable versus challenging changes. The specific features and symptoms of personality and behaviour changes reported by the sample are presented alongside the DSM-5-TR features of Personality Change Due to Another Medical Condition for clinical utility. Three themes were identified related to the impact of patient brain tumour-related personality and behaviour changes on carers: (i) grieving the person: "I don't know who this person is anymore"; (ii) bearing the brunt of behavioural changes: "Happening behind closed doors"; and (iii) safety concerns and aggression: "I didn't know what was going to happen next". The three main themes were further elaborated through corresponding subthemes.

conclusionsThis study highlights the nuances and complexity in conceptualising personality changes in patients with a brain tumour and the grief, isolation, and safety concerns experienced by carers. Brain tumour-related aggression was identified as a significant concern by both healthcare professionals and carers, lacking clinical guidelines internationally for managing violence and aggression in this population. Future research is required to test interventions and support for safeguarding and risk management for patients and their family members.

Indexed as

Brain NeoplasmsCaregiversPersonalityAdultAgedAustraliaDenmarkFemaleHealth PersonnelHumansInterviews as TopicMaleMiddle AgedBrain tumourCarersHealthcare professionalsPersonality and behaviour changesQualitative research

Identifiers

PMID41102587
PMCPMC12532670

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.