(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COVID-19大流行对比利时成人恶性脑肿瘤患者的发病率、治疗及生存情况的影响。(2) 方法：基于比利时癌症登记数据库，我们分析了2004年至2020年间20岁及以上恶性脑肿瘤患者的发病率、WHO体能状态、生存状态及治疗数据。将2020年发病率与预测值及2015–2019年年龄标准化率进行比较，并采用Kaplan–Meier法评估观察生存期。(3) 结果：2020年年龄别发病率下降8%，其中50岁以上人群尤为明显。在2020年4月第一波疫情高峰期间，发病率骤降37%，至7月部分回升。与2015–2018年相比，2020年所有恶性脑肿瘤患者的两年观察生存期下降4个百分点，2019年下降3个百分点。胶质母细胞瘤患者接受手术的比例减少9个百分点，而未接受手术、放疗或系统治疗的患者比例在2020年增加了6个百分点。(4) 结论：COVID-19大流行对2020年比利时脑肿瘤患者的诊断、治疗策略及生存状况产生了深远影响。这些发现可为政策制定者应对未来疫情提供参考，强调在医疗资源受限时需维持或调整神经肿瘤诊疗路径，并推动基于充分信息的临床决策。
肿瘤(癌症)患者之家