Tambuyzer Tim, Vanhauwaert Dimitri, Boterberg Tom, De Vleeschouwer Steven, Peacock Hanna M, Bouchat Joanna, Silversmit Geert, Verdoodt Freija, De Gendt Cindy, Van Eycken Liesbet
Belgian Cancer Registry, 1210 Brussels, Belgium.
Department of Neurosurgery, AZ Delta Hospital, 8800 Roeselare, Belgium.
Cancers (Basel). 2023 Dec 21;16(1):63. doi: 10.3390/cancers16010063.
(1) Background: This study evaluates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the incidence, treatment, and survival of adults diagnosed with malignant brain tumors in Belgium in 2020. (2) Methods: We examined patients aged 20 and older with malignant brain tumors (2004-2020) from the Belgian Cancer Registry database, assessing incidence, WHO performance status, vital status, and treatment data. We compared 2020 incidence rates with projected rates and age-standardized rates to 2015-2019. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to assess observed survival (OS). (3) Results: In 2020, there was an 8% drop in age-specific incidence rates, particularly for those over 50. Incidence rates plunged by 37% in April 2020 during the first COVID-19 peak but partially recovered by July. For all malignant brain tumors together, the two-year OS decreased by four percentage points (p.p.) in 2020 and three p.p. in 2019, compared to that in 2015-2018. Fewer patients (-9 p.p.) with glioblastoma underwent surgery, and the proportion of patients not receiving surgery, radiotherapy, or systemic therapy increased by six percentage points in 2020. (4) Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic profoundly impacted the diagnosis, treatment strategies, and survival of brain tumor patients in Belgium during 2020. These findings should guide policymakers in future outbreak responses, emphasizing the need to maintain or adapt (neuro)-oncological care pathways and promote informed decision making when care capacity is limited.
（1）背景：本研究评估了2020年新冠疫情对比利时被诊断为恶性脑肿瘤的成年人的发病率、治疗和生存率的影响。（2）方法：我们从比利时癌症登记数据库中检查了2004年至2020年年龄在20岁及以上的恶性脑肿瘤患者，评估发病率、世界卫生组织（WHO）体能状态、生命状态和治疗数据。我们将2020年的发病率与预测发病率以及2015 - 2019年的年龄标准化发病率进行了比较。采用Kaplan - Meier方法评估观察到的生存率（OS）。（3）结果：2020年，特定年龄组的发病率下降了8%，尤其是50岁以上人群。在2020年4月新冠疫情首个高峰期间，发病率暴跌37%，但到7月部分恢复。与2015 - 2018年相比，所有恶性脑肿瘤患者的两年总生存率在2020年下降了4个百分点（p.p.），在2019年下降了3个百分点。胶质母细胞瘤患者接受手术的人数减少了9个百分点，2020年未接受手术、放疗或全身治疗的患者比例增加了6个百分点。（4）结论：2020年新冠疫情对比利时脑肿瘤患者的诊断、治疗策略和生存率产生了深远影响。这些发现应指导政策制定者在未来应对疫情时，强调在医疗能力有限时维持或调整（神经）肿瘤护理路径并促进明智决策的必要性。
