Understanding the lived experience of people with a low-grade glioma: a scoping review

Background: Low-grade gliomas are life-altering brain tumours that profoundly affect quality of life. Understanding their impact is essential for holistic, patient-centred care. Aims: To explore how low-grade gliomas affect adults’ physical, cognitive, social and emotional wellbeing. Methods: Using Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and PRISMA-ScR guidelines, a scoping review was conducted across Medline, Cinahl and PsycInfo. Search terms included low-grade glioma, astrocytoma (grade 2/3), oligodendroglioma (grade 2/3) and quality of life/lived experience/wellbeing. Some 34 studies (1999–2023), including grey literature, were analysed using deductive content analysis. Findings: Low-grade gliomas were found to significantly affect all four wellbeing domains: physical, cognitive, emotional and social. Gaps include limited qualitative research, under-representation of some regions and quality-of-life tools that poorly reflected lived experience. Conclusions: A low-grade glioma diagnosis affects patients in complex, multifaceted ways. Further qualitative research is urgently needed to inform more effective, nuanced and supportive care strategies. Implications for practice: These findings can inform policy and practice by shaping person-centred care pathways and long-term supportive services aligned with patients’ psychosocial and functional needs.