Deaths soon after brain tumor surgery did not go up during the pandemic
Original title: National Outcomes and Factors Associated with 30-Day Mortality in Malignant Brain Tumor Surgery: A Retrospective Cohort NSQIP Analysis of Health System Resilience.
How far along is this research?
- Lab cells
- Animals
- Review
- Tested in people
This was tested in people. That is the most reliable kind of research we share.
This is a look back at records from people who already had surgery, not a test of a new treatment.
The short version
In a large look at U.S. hospital records, the share of people who died within 30 days of brain tumor surgery stayed low during the COVID-19 pandemic.
What was studied. Researchers looked back at records for 13,716 adults who had surgery to remove a malignant brain tumor. They compared 8,830 people who had surgery in 2016-2019 with 4,886 who had surgery in 2020-2021.
What they found. Before the pandemic, 3.1% of patients died within 30 days of surgery. During the pandemic, 2.6% did. The things most tied to dying were older age, cancer that had spread, a high white blood cell count before surgery, and problems after surgery such as pneumonia, needing a breathing machine for more than 48 hours, or a stroke.
What this means, and what it doesn't
What it could mean: Brain tumor surgery seems to have stayed about as safe during the pandemic as it was before. It also points to what matters most for safety: a person's own health going in, and avoiding problems in the days right after surgery. If you or a loved one is facing this surgery, these are fair things to ask your surgical team about.
What it doesn't mean: This is not a new treatment, and it is not a cure or a promise of one. It is a look back at records that were already collected, so it cannot prove what caused the difference. The authors say the results are meant to raise questions for further study. It does not mean surgery during the pandemic was better, and it does not tell you what will happen in your own case.
Source: PubMed, July 24, 2026 · Read the original
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