Epidemiology of Primary Intracranial Tumors at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Central India: A Retrospective Study.
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INTRODUCTION: Primary intracranial tumors have become a significant public health concern in India in recent years. Due to a lack of awareness among the general population and poor healthcare facilities, patients often receive late diagnoses and suboptimal outcomes. This study aims to collect comprehensive data on the demographics and essential characteristics of brain tumor patients to provide a whole spectrum of clinical and histological data of primary intracranial tumors at a newly established radiotherapy department at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Raipur, India. The findings will help to develop better treatment strategies and programs to improve outcomes and management of primary intracranial tumors. METHODS: The study involved 196 patients diagnosed with primary intracranial tumors registered in the Department of Radiation Oncology between January 1, 2020, and December 31, 2023. Epidemiological data, including age, sex, and incidence rates of various intracranial malignancies classified according to the World Health Organization classification, were collected and analyzed between December 2023 and July 2024 to better understand the demographics and epidemiology of primary intracranial tumors. RESULTS: During the study period, the total number of cancer cases receiving radiotherapy at AIIMS, Raipur, increased 3.5 times in four years. The proportion of primary intracranial neoplasms to all cases presented to the Department of Radiation Oncology (AIIMS, Raipur) was 15.1% (36/237), 9.3% (47/503), 6.4% (51/786), and 7.6% (66/874), respectively, in the years 2020-2023. Overall, between 2020 and 2023, astrocytoma was the most common tumor, followed by glioblastoma, with incidences of 38% (61) and 27% (27), respectively. In the pediatric group, astrocytic tumors (29.4%; 10 cases), embryonal tumors (26.4%; nine cases), and craniopharyngioma (14.7%; five cases) were the most common presentations. CONCLUSION: The increasing burden of primary intracranial tumors in India demands attention to improve access to healthcare and increase awareness about the early signs and symptoms of the disease. The data collected in this study can be used to develop effective strategies for managing and treating brain tumors in India.