May 4-10, 2008 is National Brain Tumor Action Week

Introduction

Approximately 21,810 new brain and other nervous system tumors will be diagnosed in the United States this year and 13,070 deaths. About 20 percent of the people will be diagnosed with a primary brain tumor while the majority of patients will be found to have metastatic brain tumors. Primary tumors are tumors that begin in the brain and tend to stay in the brain. Metastatic brain tumors begin as a cancer elsewhere in the body and spread, or metastasize, to the brain.

In an effort to increase public awareness about brain tumor, UPMC Cancer Centers joins other organizations nationwide to promote National Brain Tumor Action Week. UPMC developed these pages as a resource for learning more about brain cancer.

Brain tumor risk factors

Anything that increases a person's chance of developing a disease is called a risk factor. Though the precise cause of different kinds of brain tumors is unknown, the following risk factors may increase the likelihood of developing a brain tumor:

• Age – Brain tumors can occur at any age, but studies show that they are most common in two age groups; children three to 12 years old, and adults 40 to 70 years old.
• Occupation – Studies show that some types of brain tumors are more frequent among workers in certain industries, such as oil refining, rubber manufacturing and drug manufacturing. Other studies have shown that chemists and embalmers have a higher incidence of brain tumors.

Brain tumor facts

• Scientists do not believe that head injuries cause brain tumors to develop.
• Metastatic brain tumors are most common, with an annual incidence more than four times greater than that of primary brain tumors. The most common kinds of cancer that metastasize to the brain are lung and breast cancer.
• Improvements in childhood cancer survival rates have been made as a result of clinical trials. More than one half of children diagnosed with brain tumors will survive five years from diagnosis. In some subgroups of patients, an even higher rate of survival and cure is possible.

Sources: American Cancer Society; National Cancer Institute

Return to top of page