Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39527383›Full record

ArticleJournal of neuro-oncology2025

Epidemiology of glioblastoma in Pakistan: a secondary analysis of the Pakistan Brain Tumor Epidemiology Study (PBTES).

Hammad Atif Irshad, Syed Balaj Ali Rizvi, Mohammad Hamza Bajwa, Muhammad Usman Khalid, Mashal Murad Shah, Syed Ather Enam

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Article in Journal of neuro-oncology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

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2citing papers in PubMed
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3 · Its place in the literature

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2 citing papers in PubMed.

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Hammad Atif IrshadMedical College, Aga Khan University, Karachi, 74800, Pakistan.
Syed Balaj Ali RizviMedical College, Aga Khan University, Karachi, 74800, Pakistan.
Mohammad Hamza BajwaSection of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, 74800, Pakistan.
Muhammad Usman KhalidSection of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, 74800, Pakistan.
Mashal Murad ShahSection of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, 74800, Pakistan.
Syed Ather EnamSection of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, 74800, Pakistan. ather.enam@aku.edu.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeThe incidence and outcomes of glioblastoma (GBM) patients in Pakistan remain unassessed owing to a lack of cancer registries and the absence of population-based studies. For any specific population-based oncological intervention, epidemiology must be studied. Therefore, this study aims to examine the epidemiological characteristics of glioblastoma patients in Pakistan, as part of a secondary analysis of a nationwide epidemiological study.

methodsData comprising of sociodemographic, tumor and treatment characteristics of 2750 patients from the Pakistan Brain Tumor Epidemiology Study were extracted and analyzed for cases between January 1, 2019, and December 31, 2019. Chi-square tests identified outcome and treatment differences. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 26.

resultsA total of 260 GBM cases were analyzed, with a mean diagnosis age of 45 years. Males accounted for 68.8%. Most patients were from a middle- (39.6%) or lower-income (42.7%) socioeconomic background and received care from a public institution (63.8%). GBM tumors were mainly located in the frontal lobe with similar proportions of right and left laterality. A median distance of 119 km was traveled for oncological care, and the mean time to surgery from the initial radiological diagnosis was 72 days. Gross total resection was achieved in 47.3% of first surgeries, with 23 reoperations for recurrence. At the end of the study period, 33% of the GBM cohort was recorded as alive with 47% being lost to follow-up.

conclusionOur analysis is the first population-based analysis of GBM in Pakistan. This epidemiologic study can serve as a basis for future research in etiology, treatment, and outcomes for glioblastoma in the Pakistani population.

Indexed as

Brain NeoplasmsGlioblastomaAdolescentAdultAgedFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHumansIncidenceMaleMiddle AgedPakistanPrognosisRegistriesYoung AdultEpidemiologyGlioblastomaLower-middle income countryPakistanRegistries

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.