Etiological and Epidemiological Aspects

Abstract

Brain and other central nervous system tumors are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality, causing nearly 15,000 deaths per year in the United States alone. Epidemiologic studies have helped elucidate aspects of brain tumor etiology by tracking patterns of tumor incidence and mortality and by identifying potential risk factors for tumor development. With respect to glioma, the most common primary malignant brain tumor, incidence rates are elevated among men and individuals of Caucasian ethnicity. High-dose ionizing radiation has been established as a major risk factor for glioma development, and evidence has accumulated that a history of allergies and atopy is inversely associated with glioma risk. Recognized genetic risk factors for glioma include both rare germline mutations underlying several familial cancer syndromes and 25 single-nucleotide polymorphisms as of the most recent and largest genome-wide association study to date. Here, the current state of knowledge on brain tumor epidemiology and etiology is discussed, with an emphasis on glioma and meningioma in adults. Key challenges and open questions in the field are highlighted.