Facts About Brain Tumors

Each year more than 100,000 people in the United States and 10,000 people
in Canada will be diagnosed with a primary or metastatic brain tumor.

Brain tumors are the leading cause of cancer death in children under the
age of 20, now surpassing acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), and are the
third leading cause of cancer death in your adults ages 20-39.
Metastatic brain tumors (cancer that spreads from other parts of the body to the brain) occur at some point in 20-40% of people with cancer and are the most common type of brain tumor. The incidence of metastatic brain tumors has been increasing as cancer patients live longer.

In the United States, the overall incidence of all primary brain tumors is more than 11 per 100,000 people.

 

Each year more than 100,000 people in the United States
and 10,000 people in Canada will be diagnosed with a primary
or metastatic brain tumor.1

Brain tumors are the leading cause of cancer death in
children under the age of 20, now surpassing acute
lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), and are the third leading cause
of cancer death in your adults ages 20-39.2

Metastatic brain tumors (cancer that spreads from other
parts of the body to the brain) occur at some point in
20-40% of people with cancer and are the most common type
of brain tumor. The incidence of metastatic brain tumors has
been increasing as cancer patients live longer.3

In the United States, the overall incidence of all primary
brain tumors is more than 11 per 100,000 people.1

There are over 120 different types of brain tumors, making
effective treatment very complicated. Because brain tumors are located at the control center for thought, emotion, and movement, their effects on an
individual's physical and cognitive abilities can be devastating.At present, brain tumors are treated by surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy, used either individually or in combination.Brain tumors in children are different from those in adults and are often treated differently. Although as many as 60%
of children will survive, they are often left with long-term
side effects.
Enhancing the quality of life of people with brain tumors
requires access to quality specialty care, clinical trials,
follow-up care, and rehabilitative services. Improving the
outlook for adults and children with brain tumors requires
research into the causes of and better treatments for brain
tumors.
Complete and accurate data on all primary brain tumors is
needed to provide the foundation for research leading to
improved diagnosis and treatment and to investigations of its
causes.
The National Cancer Institute and the National Institute for
Neurological Disorders and Stroke are working together to
implement the research priorities set by the brain tumor
research, clinical, and advocacy community as summarized in
the Brain Tumor Progress Review Group Report.
Approximately 350,000 individuals are living with the
diagnosis of a brain tumor.4

1 Central Brain Tumor Registry of the United States
(CBTRUS) report, Primary Brain Tumors in the United
States, 1992-1997 and NCI/NINDS-Report of the Brain
Tumor Progress Review Group, November 2000

2 SEER Pediatric Monograph, 1975-94, Table XXVII-7

3 Cancer Facts and Figures 2000

4 CBTRUS Prevalence Manuscript, Neuro-Oncology, July 2001