Abstract Purpose Childhood brain tumour survival rates in developing countries remain low (20–30%) compared to approximately 80% in developed nations, underscoring major disparities in care. To determine the outcomes, and quality of life at 12-week follow-up in children aged 1-17 years diagnosed with Central Nervous System (CNS) tumours at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH). Methods Hospital-based prospective, observational study using the PedsQL questionnaire at the initial presentation and 12 weeks follow-up. The study included children aged 1–17 years with newly diagnosed, radiologically confirmed CNS tumours, along with their caregivers, who attended the Pediatric Oncology and Neurosurgery Units at KBTH over 13-month period. Results The study included 45 children (median age 7 years), with 56% male. Infratentorial tumours were most common (45%), and low-grade gliomas were the predominant histology. Nineteen children (42%) received definitive surgical treatment, with only four children (9%) receiving gross total resection (GTR) with median time to GTR of 28.5 days (range 27.5-37 days). Twelve-week survival was 68.9%. There was a strong correlation between parent-proxy and child self-reported total PedsQL scores (r = 0.890; P 0.001) (95%CI 3.10 to 9.93) at presentation. Baseline PedsQL scores were significantly lower in children who died within 12 weeks (median 33.8) versus survivors (median 49.0; p = 0.0011). At follow-up, children’s self-reports of emotional well-being were lower than caregivers’ assessments. Conclusion The high mortality rate at 12 weeks is a significant concern and needs to be addressed. In this study, low QoL at presentation was associated with early mortality. Quality of life improved significantly at 12 weeks, though caregivers often underestimated their children’s emotional difficulties. 1. Moreira DC, Rajagopal R, Navarro-Martin del Campo RM, et al. Bridging the gap in access to care for children with CNS tumors worldwide. JCO Glob Oncol. 2020;6:583-584. doi:10.1200/GO.20.00047 2. National Cancer Institute. Cancer stat facts: Brain and other nervous system cancer (including pediatric data). Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program. Accessed July 21, 2025. https://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/brain.html
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