QOL-05: IMPACT OF HEADACHES UPON THE POST-RADIOTHERAPEUTIC QUALITY OF LIFE OF GLIOBLASTOMA MULTIFORME PATIENTS: A QUALITATIVE STUDY

BACKGROUND: Headaches and facial pain have been accredited as accounting for the most prevalent form of pain amongst patients with glioblastoma mulitforme (GBM) - the most common malignant primary brain tumour. Despite this, minimal research has previously been undertaken investigating the direct and indirect impact that headaches have upon the quality of life (QoL) of GBM patients. METHODS: Exploratory qualitative study utilising face-to-face semi-structured interviews, with GBM patients registered as outpatients at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham (UK), to gain an insight into the factors impacting upon their QoL, specifically focusing upon the impact of headaches post-radiotherapy. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and underwent qualitative thematic analysis to identify key themes, viewpoints and dynamics. RESULTS: From the 8 participants (median = 47.5 (44 - 57.5) years; 3 male) interviewed, 3 core themes were identified and developed: "Headache of social situations", "Underlying determination and positivity" and "Psychological springboard of headaches". Important to note, is that 5-7 more participants are still to be interviewed, with the research scheduled to finish by the end of July. CONCLUSION: Whilst the QoL of patients with GBM is clearly multifactorial, headaches do indeed play a part for some. However, it is not the direct pain of the headache as perhaps expected that impacts upon the QoL of these patients, but the indirect repercussive effect of the limitations headaches place upon social life and that they may serve as a painful psychological reminder to these patients of their prognosis and threat to autonomy. The findings from the remaining participant interviews will be incorporated into the current findings.