Quality of life and outcomes of patients operated on for glioblastoma.

BACKGROUND

Glioblastoma is the most common and aggressive primary malignant brain tumor in adults, with a poor prognosis despite multimodal treatment. This study aimed to describe the diagnostic aspects, therapeutic strategies, quality of life (QoL), and outcomes of patients operated on for glioblastoma at the Yaoundé General Hospital.

METHODS

This was a retrospective cohort study conducted at the Yaoundé General Hospital. Included were 32 patients who underwent surgery for glioblastoma with histological evidence from January 2018 to June 2025. Data were collected from medical records and analyzed using the Statistical Packages for the Social Sciences version 20. Comparisons between groups were performed using the Chi-square test or Student's t-test as appropriate. Survival distributions were compared using the Kaplan-Meier method and the log-rank test. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05, and 95% confidence intervals were calculated for the main estimates. QoL was assessed using the Karnofsky and European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QoL Questionnaire-C30 scores. Both assessments were performed during postoperative follow-up visits, specifically between the 1st and the 6th month after surgery. When available, preoperative Karnofsky scores recorded in medical files were also reviewed to assess functional improvement after surgery. Factors associated with QoL and outcomes were identified, and P < 0.05 was considered significant. Overall survival was defined as the time interval between the date of histopathological confirmation of glioblastoma and the date of death or last follow-up.

RESULTS

Thirty-two patients were included, with a median age of 47.50 years (17.75; 59.75), a mean age of 42.9 ± 13.8 years, and a female predominance (65.6%). The most common presenting symptom was neurologic deficit (68.8%). Magnetic resonance imaging was the main diagnostic modality (59.4%), and the tumor was most often located in the temporal lobe (30.8%). Surgery alone was performed in 56.3% of cases, whereas 25% received surgery followed by radiochemotherapy. The average overall survival was 10.2 months, increasing to 13.4 months in patients who received the full multimodal treatment. QoL scores were also better in this group. Age >60 was found to be significantly associated with poor outcomes.

CONCLUSION

Glioblastoma affects all ages in our setting. Combined therapeutic strategies, especially the addition of radiochemotherapy after surgery, were associated with longer survival and better QoL. Multidisciplinary management remains essential to improve outcomes.