Decreased quality of life and depression as predictors for shorter survival among patients with low-grade gliomas: a follow-up from 1990 to 2003.

Objectives: To assess the long-term survival of brain tumor patients, and in particular to evaluate the relation of quality of life (QOL) to survival among low-grade glioma patients.

Methods: The postoperative survival of 101 brain tumor patients was followed from surgery (1990-1992) until the end of the year 2003. Depression was evaluated by the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and QOL with Sintonen's 15D scale before operation and at one year as well as at five years after operation.