Pre- and postoperative neurocognitive deficits in brain tumor patients assessed by a computer based screening test

Abstract

Neurocognitive assessment becomes increasingly important in neuro-oncology. The presence and degree of neurocognitive deficits in patients with brain tumors appear to be important not only as outcome measures but also in treatment planning and as possible prognostic markers for tumor-progression. Common screening methods for neurocognitive deficits are often insufficient in uncovering subtle changes or harbor the risk of being observer-dependent and time-consuming. We present data of brain tumor patients screened by a computer-based neurocognitive assessment tool before and after surgery. 196 patients with tumor resections were tested at our institution using the NeuroCog Fx® software 2days before and 3–4months after surgery. Additionally to the test results, patient-related information, such as age, sex, handedness, level of education, pre- and postoperative neurological status, KPS, location and histopathological diagnosis were recorded. These prospectively collected results were correlated in the here presented retrospective study. The majority of patients with malignant gliomas, metastases and meningiomas showed significant deficits in various neurocognitive domains, most of them improved or did not decline in their postoperative neurocognitive performances. Interestingly, there was no significant correlation of neurocognitive deficits and brain tumor location. In future, standardized neuropsychological assessment should become an essential part of the management and care of patients with brain tumors to provide a more personalized and tailored treatment. Further studies will improve the understanding of the influence of various treatment modalities on neuro-cognition.