Project MILANO: Connections Between Patients With Brain Tumors and Their Pets: an Analysis of Concerns and Needs (MILANO)

Context and problem

In France, 61% of households own a pet, highlighting the significant role pets play in the daily lives. Patients diagnosed with brain tumors face specific challenges that may affect their ability to care their pets, including:

• Progressive neurological deficits (cognitive and/or motor), limiting their autonomy,
• A life-threatening prognosis.

In this context, the well-being of pets when their owner's health deteriorates becomes a critical concern. Indeed:

• Social isolation and the progressive loss of physical and cognitive abilities complicate pet care, particularly during prolonged hospitalizations or in the event of death,
• The lack of appropriate facilities and care solutions causes stress for pets, who are often unprepared for such transitions, and adds to the emotional burden on patients.

Why focus on patients with brain tumors?

• These patients have specific needs due to the rapid progression of their condition,
• A local study showed that 12% of patients with gliomas live alone, a significantly higher rate than in other cancer types. Patients who live alone are particularly exposed to issues related to their pet's future,
• Given the high morbidity and mortality associated with brain tumors, proactive planning for pet care is particularly urgent.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Brain (Nervous System) Cancers
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: The Lexington Attachment to Pets Scale (LAPS; Johnson, Garrity, & Stallones, 1992)

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Estimated): 65

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Carole Ramirez, Md; Phone Number: +33 (0)477829326; Email: carole.ramirez@chu-st-etienne.fr

Study Locations

• France
  • Saint-Étienne, France, 42000
    • Recruiting
    • CHU Saint Etienne
    • Principal Investigator: Carole RAMIREZ, MD
    • Contact: Carole Ramirez, Md; Phone Number: +33 (0)477829326; Email: carole.ramirez@chu-st-etienne.fr

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Patients diagnosed with a brain tumor who have one or more pets will be included.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients diagnosed with a brain tumor.
• Patients who own at least one pet.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients who decline to participate in the study.
• Patients unable to complete the questionnaire.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

1

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort

Intervention / Treatment

Pet-owning brain tumour patients; To assess the concerns and needs of patients with brain tumors regarding their pets, in order to plan for the pets' future when their owners are hospitalized, unable to care for them due to their condition, or in the event of their death.

Other: The Lexington Attachment to Pets Scale (LAPS; Johnson, Garrity, & Stallones, 1992); The LAPS is a established tool for measuring the emotional bond between humans and their animal companions. Animal attachment is assessed according to three factors: the bond between owners and their dogs or cats, the closeness of the human-animal relationship, and the importance of the animal in the owner's life (Johnson et al., 1992). Higher scores indicate greater attachment.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
LAPS scale	The Lexington Pet Attachment Scale (LAPS) measures the percentage of patients who are concerned about their pets. Values range from zero to one hundred, with higher scores indicating greater concern for pets.	Day 1

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Questionnaire	A questionnaire that measures the percentage of patients who need more information and details of resources and support systems to help them with their pets.	Day 1

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Saint Etienne
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Carole Ramirez, Md, Chu de Saint-Etienne

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): March 20, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): March 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): March 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: March 21, 2025
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 26, 2025
• First Posted (Actual): March 28, 2025

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 3, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 1, 2025
• Last Verified: March 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Brain tumors; Glioma patients; Pet care; Emotional burden
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Brain Diseases; Central Nervous System Diseases; Nervous System Diseases; Neoplasms by Site; Neoplasms; Nervous System Neoplasms; Central Nervous System Neoplasms; Brain Neoplasms
• Other Study ID Numbers: IRBN252025/CHUSTE

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No