ArticleJCO oncology practice2026
"It's My Wish, We Need This Program": Qualitative Reflections From People With High-Grade Brain Cancer Consenting to Postmortem Brain Donation.
Article in JCO oncology practice, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Determinants of Interest-Holder Perspectives Toward Post-Mortem Tissue Donation in Oncology: A Systematic Review.Psycho-oncology · 2026Pooled it
- 'A No-Brainer, but Not a Simple Decision': A Qualitative Study of Patient Experiences of Tissue Donation for Research in Rare Craniospinal Tumour Pathways.Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
purposeBrain tissue donated in the postmortem setting is a driving resource for brain cancer research and a source of hope in the face of dismal survival rates. As demand for tissue increases, the need to understand the impact of these programs on prospective donors becomes paramount. Little is known about the experience of consenting to rapid autopsy after a terminal brain cancer diagnosis, and clinical teams favor caution when approaching patients for consent for fear of causing distress. Characterizing the human experience of consenting to postmortem brain donation will provide an evidence base for compassionate integration of brain donation consent into clinical pathways.
methodsWe interviewed 21 prospective donors who had expressed interest or had consented to postmortem brain donation. A thematic analysis with narrative synthesis was conducted on the transcripts of the qualitative interviews.
resultsFour themes were identified within the data: (1) Meaning, purpose, and donor expectations, (2) embracing the identity of a donor and integrating donation into personal narrative; (3) regaining control and defining legacy; and (4) the role of stoicism and humor in protecting emotional well-being and family relationships during donor discussions.
conclusionThe sentiments expressed in the data indicate an overwhelmingly positive impact associated with consenting to brain donation. Consenting to a postmortem brain donation program can instill a sense of purpose and meaning while restoring a sense of control for those facing mortality. These data indicate that the prevailing caution and reluctance in consenting a patient to brain donation may be misplaced, preventing patients and their families from engaging with a program that can provide an invaluable source of hope, empowerment, and legacy.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What Socratic holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.