Cochrane Library Special Collections provide a round-up of up-to-date Cochrane evidence on a specific topic. This Special Collection provides evidence in several key clinical priority areas for brain tumour research. The reviews in this Collection provide evidence towards clinical priority areas for research, and their funding, and therefore, are important for consumers, clinicians, healthcare providers and funders.
Topics include:
- Diagnosing brain tumours quickly, safely, and accurately
- Risk-sharing in decision making for brain tumours
- Best treatment when decisions are difficult
When asked about the new Special Collection, Helen Bulbeck, Director of policy and services at brainstrust said, "We’re excited by the launch of this neuro-oncology collection. It reflects true collaboration between the Cochrane Organisation, the James Lind Alliance, the National Institute of Health Research, the National Cancer Research Institute and, most importantly, people who are living with brain cancer. This is transforming the neuro-oncology clinical research landscape."
A patient with glioblastoma at recurrence commented, "When you’re living with a brain tumour, there’s never a right and wrong decision. So these reviews are vital for people living with a brain tumour. I know, on my own brain tumour pathway, that there have been times when I have been so conflicted about which decision to make. I feel well; should I or shouldn’t I have a scan? Should I delay or start treatment? Should I just get on with living my life? So evidence around risk taking that helps you make the choice that is right for you, which you can share with your clinical team, is a gift. I wish more people knew about these reviews. I will talk about them with my doctors."
A caregiver of an elderly parent with a glioblastoma noted, "I think using patient advocacy resources has become more important since lockdown because MDTs and other cancer centre resources are so stretched. Sometimes you need to get all you can without the help of the medical community who are dealing as best they can with more urgent cases and themselves often in the front line of coronavirus! Finding these brain tumour Cochrane evidence reviews has helped my family and plugged a gap."
Listen to a podcast on Interventions to reduce the time to diagnosis of brain tumours
A special Evidently blog post for people living with a brain tumour, healthcare practitioners and anyone with an interest in brain tumours has been posted. In it, Helen Bulbeck, Cochrane consumer representative and director of policy and services for brainstrust, looks at the latest Cochrane evidence on brain tumours and reflects on what this special collection means for the brain tumour community and why collaboration has been key to the success of this work.