Incidence of Brain Tumors and Its Radiotherapy Treatment Adherence: A Retrospective Cohort Study

PURPOSE According to Global Cancer Statistics in 2022, there were 321,731 new cases of brain and CNS cancers diagnosed, with an age-standardized incidence rate (ASR) for brain and CNS cancers of 3.5 per 100,000 population, from which 248,500 were cancer-related deaths worldwide and have been found to be in the top ten causes of death. Radiosurgery is used to treat brain tumors with remarkable precision and is a safe option for patients also with brain metastases. In Guatemala Radiation therapy is a national priority, because of the 9,800 patients requiring radiation therapy, only 50% receive radiation therapy, and radiosurgery for brain tumors are far from starting for the underserved patients with cancer. Therefore, we aim to determine the incidence of brain tumors and its radiotherapy adherence for patients attending the only comprehensive cancer center (LIGA-Incan). METHODS A retrospective study was conducted to estimate the ASR of brain tumors from 475 patients diagnosed during the years 2006 to 2020 of age 15 years or older. A comparison was established among men(n=106) and women (n=106) who underwent radiotherapy. Descriptive analysis was applied to the variables age, radiotherapy adherence, basis for diagnosis and tumor stage. RESULTS There were 475 patients with CNS tumors of malignant diagnosis, from which 89.76% and 90.91% was based on the histology of the primary tumor in women and men respectively. The overall ASR was 3.90 per 100,000 person-years. Glioblastoma 78 (34.51%) and 55 (25.0%), Astrocytoma 59 (26.11%) and 59 (26.82%), Oligodendroglioma 23 (10.18%) and 30 (13.64%) in women and men respectively. Median age was 44 years for women and 42 for men. Radiotherapy was started in 212(44.63%), from which 106 were women, and radiotherapy adherence completed in 101(47.64%), from which 52(49.06%) were women. Staging was available only for 11 patients (1 patient in stage I, 3 in stage II, 4 in stage III and 3 in stage IV). CONCLUSION Brain tumors are receiving conventional radiotherapy. Therefore, efforts are needed for cooperation that can fruitfully fund the establishment of equipment of radiosurgery for the underserved patients of Guatemala with brain tumors.