Newly diagnosed Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) during COVID-19 pandemic: changes in therapeutic approach to minimize in-hospital SARS-COV-2 contagion in pre-vaccine era.

Abstract

COVID-19 pandemic revolutionized how cancer patients are treated worldwide. Regarding neuro-oncological patients, usually considered frail and with lower life expectancy than other oncological patients, the international scientific community had to urgently reorganize the treatment approach to minimize the risk of in-hospital contagious. For GBM patients, adjuvant treatments have been evaluated with even much more attention to the expected efficacy. As a consequence, a hypofractionated radiotherapy regimen has been preferred to reduce the daily hospital accesses and, especially in pMGMT unmethylated patients, chemotherapy with Temozolomide was avoided. Here, we made a comprehensive evaluation of the neurooncological community suggestions regarding GBM treatment in the pre-vaccine era of the COVID-19 pandemic. (www.actabiomedica.it)