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In the mid-1980s, there was a rise in incidence rates of childhood brain tumors (CBT) in the United States that appeared to stabilize at a higher rate in the early 1990 s. An updated analysis of the pattern of CBT over the past 2 decades, with commentary on whether the elevated incidence rate has continued, is past due. We used Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) data to examine trends in incidence of CBT from 1973 through 2009. We examined age-adjusted incidence rates (AAIRs) and secular trends for all malignant brain tumors combined (SEER classification) by histologic tumor type and anatomic site. The incidence of CBT remained stable from 1987 to 2009 [annual percent change (APC) = 0.10; 95 % confidence intervals (CI) -0.39 to 0.61] with an AAIR for all CBT of 3.32 (95 % CI 3.22-3.42). The stability of rates in these two decades contrast the change that occurred in the mid-1980s (1983-1986), when the incidence of CBT increased by 53 % (APC = 14.06; 95 % CI 4.05-25.0). From 1983 to 1986, statistically significant rate increases were observed for pilocytic astrocytoma, PNET/medulloblastoma, and mixed glioma. Further, the rate of increase in pilocytic astrocytoma was similar to the rate of decrease for astrocytomas NOS from 1981 to 2009, suggesting a change from a more general to more specific classification. After the increase in rates in the mid-1980s, rates of CBT over the past two decades have stabilized. Changes in incidence rates of subtypes of tumors over this time period reflect changes both in classification of CBT and in diagnostic techniques.

Purpose: Germ cell tumors (GCT) in the central nervous system (CNS) are rare tumors that occur with highest frequency in males, Asian populations, and children less than age 20 years. Due to the rarity of these tumors, their patterns of incidence are not well-described. The aim of this study is to provide the most up-to-date data on incidence and survival patterns for CNS GCT by sex, race, and age at diagnosis. Methods: The Central Brain Tumor Registry of the United States (CBTRUS) is the largest aggregation of population-based incidence data on primary brain and other CNS tumors in the United States, containing incidence data from 51 central cancer registries and representing 100% of the US population. The current study used the CBTRUS analytic file to examine incidence (IR) of CNS GCT from 2006 to 2015, as well as registry data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program to examine survival. Results: Males had greater IR than females in all CNS GCT histologies examined. Asian and Pacific Islanders had a significantly greater IR of CNS GCT than the other race categories. We confirmed that CNS GCT IR was greatest for those age 10–14 years and male. Overall survival rates were high for malignant CNS GCT, germinoma, mixed GCT, and malignant teratoma. Conclusions: There is significant variation in CNS GCT incidence by sex, race, and age at diagnosis. Ascertaining accurate incidence and survival rates of CNS GCT provides vital information usable in real time for clinicians, public health planners, patients, and their families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epidemiological analyses of many cancers have demonstrated differences in incidence and outcome for patients from different racial backgrounds. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of non-malignant CNS tumors by race and age to identify incidence variance. Data from the Central Brain Tumor Registry of the United States (CBTRUS) from 2009 to 2013 were used to calculate age-adjusted incidence rates (IR) per 100,000 population and 95% confidence intervals for selected tumors overall, by race, age group, and race stratified by age group. In those aged 0-14 years, Whites had significantly greater IR of neuronal and mixed neuronal-glial tumors (IR = 0.37) compared to Others (IR = 0.26) and Blacks (IR = 0.24). In those 15-39 years, Blacks had significantly greater IR of tumors of the pituitary (IR = 3.80) than Others (IR = 3.29) and Whites (IR = 3.15), and significantly greater IR of grade I meningioma (IR = 1.93) than Whites (IR = 1.59) and Others (IR = 1.21). In those 40 years and older, Blacks had significantly greater IR of grade I meningioma (IR = 19.16) compared to Whites (IR = 15.77) and Others (IR = 15.32), and significantly greater IR of tumors of the pituitary (IR = 10.47) than Others (IR = 5.85) and Whites (IR = 4.99). Others had significantly greater IR of nerve sheath tumors (IR = 4.00) compared to Whites (IR = 3.46) and Blacks (IR = 1.64). The incidence of non-malignant CNS tumors differs significantly by race and age in the USA. These differences may contribute to previously-described health outcome disparities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metastases are the most common tumors of the central nervous system (CNS), but cancer databases are often incomplete leading to underestimation of the incidence of even symptomatic brain metastases. Brain imaging studies are not routinely performed on neurologically asymptomatic cancer patients and autopsy studies are outdated. Furthermore, while incidence rates for cancers are stable and mortality is decreasing due to earlier detection and better therapy, the incidence of brain metastases appears to be increasing. The pathophysiology of brain metastases is a complex multistage process, mediated by molecular mechanisms; from the primary organ, cancer cells must transform, grow and be transported to the CNS where they can lay dormant for various lengths of time before invading and growing further. Understanding the pathophysiology of brain metastases is of great importance, because it may lead to the development of more efficient therapies to combat brain tumor growth or to possibly make the CNS an undesirable environment for tumor progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]