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.
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.