TUMOR SIZE, TREATMENT PATTERNS, AND SURVIVAL IN NEURO-ONCOLOGY PATIENTS WITH GLIOBLASTOMA AFTER THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC - PRELIMINARY RESULTS

Authors

  • Paulo Cesar Moreira
  • Valdivino José Vieira Júnior
  • Augusto Cesar Malta Laudares Moreira
  • Stephânia de Oliveira Laudares Moreira
  • Humberto Cesar Machado
  • Euclides Gomes Barbo de Siqueira Neto
  • Júlio Roquete Cardoso
  • Augusto Cesar Ribeiro Figueiredo
  • Nilza Nascimento Guimarães
  • Breiner Rodrigues de Almeida Ferro
  • José Guilherme Schwam Júnior
  • Daniel Barbosa da Silva
  • André Luíz Teixeira

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.56238/sevened2026.009-031

Keywords:

Glioblastoma, COVID-19, Stage Migration, Tumor Volume, Survival Analysis

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted global healthcare, potentially leading to diagnostic delays in time-sensitive pathologies.

Objective: To evaluate the impact of the pandemic-induced "diagnostic vacuum" on the clinical presentation, tumor volume, and survival of patients with Glioblastoma (GBM).

Methods: A multicentric, retrospective cohort study was conducted comparing two distinct periods: Pre-Pandemic (2017–2019, n=55) and Post-Pandemic (2022–2025, n=55). Parameters included MRI-based volumetric analysis, Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS), and overall survival (OS).

Results: Post-pandemic patients presented with significantly larger median tumor volumes (47.8 cm³ vs. 31.4 cm³; p=0.001) and lower median KPS at diagnosis (70 vs. 85; p=0.004). The odds ratio for receiving gross total resection (GTR) was significantly reduced (OR 0.62), directly impacting survival outcomes.

Conclusion: Preliminary results obtained in the present study showed that the pandemic precipitated a "stage migration" in GBM, resulting in more advanced disease at presentation and diminished resectability. These findings underscore the urgent need for "fast-track" neuro-oncology referral systems to ensure oncological resilience during future systemic crises.

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Published

2026-02-21

Issue

Pathways to Health: Innovations and Approaches in Health Sciences

Section

Articles

License

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

Moreira, P. C., Vieira Júnior, V. J., Moreira, A. C. M. L., Moreira, S. de O. L., Machado, H. C., de Siqueira Neto, E. G. B., Cardoso, J. R., Figueiredo, A. C. R., Guimarães, N. N., Ferro, B. R. de A., Schwam Júnior, J. G., da Silva, D. B., & Teixeira, A. L. (2026). TUMOR SIZE, TREATMENT PATTERNS, AND SURVIVAL IN NEURO-ONCOLOGY PATIENTS WITH GLIOBLASTOMA AFTER THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC - PRELIMINARY RESULTS. Seven Editora, 329-341. https://doi.org/10.56238/sevened2026.009-031