A prospective observational study assessing waiting times from diagnosis to treatment in brain tumor patients

Objectives: Timely intervention in brain tumor management is crucial, as delays worsen outcomes, especially in high-grade tumors with rapid progression. Optimizing treatment timelines enhances healthcare effectiveness and improves patient survival. This study evaluates diagnosis-to-treatment waiting times for brain tumor patients at a tertiary care center in India, analyzing demographics, tumor types, and treatment timelines to identify improvement areas. Materials and Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted from May to July 2024 including 272 brain tumor patients. Demographic data, tumor types, hospitalization outcomes, and timelines from registration to surgery, biopsy reporting, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy were recorded. Descriptive statistics were used. Results: The study analyzed 272 brain tumor patients (166 males and 106 females). High-grade gliomas comprised 14.71%, low-grade gliomas 31.99%, and meningiomas 18.75%. Among 57 pediatric cases, low-grade gliomas were most common (35.09%), followed by craniopharyngiomas (22.81%), high-grade gliomas (10.53%), meningiomas (8.77%), medulloblastomas (8.77%), pituitary tumors (5.26%), and schwannomas/rare tumors (3.51% each). Mean delays were 284 days (IQR: 182.5–366) from registration to surgery, 30 days (IQR: 18–42) for biopsy reports, 52 days (IQR: 33.5–55) to chemotherapy, and 45 days (IQR: 27–56) to radiation. Conclusion: This study evaluates the waiting times in the treatment pathways for brain tumor patients. The findings suggest the need for streamlined processes and targeted interventions to reduce delays, thereby improving outcomes and healthcare delivery efficiency in neurosurgical practice.