Trends in incidence of primary brain tumors in the United States, 1985-1994 (original) (raw)

Neuro-Oncology n J U LY 2 0 0 1 141 Brain tumor incidence has increased over the last 20 years in all age groups, both overall and for speci c histologies. Reasons attributed to these increases include increase in lymphoma due to HIV/AIDS, introduction of computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging, and changes in coding/classi cation. The purpose of this study was to describe overall and histologic-speci c incidence trends in a population-based series of primary benign and malignant brain tumors. Data from the Central Brain Tumor Registry of the United States from 1985 through 1994 were used to determine incidence trends in the broad age groups 0-19, 20-64, and $ 65 years, both overall and for selected histologies. Poisson regression was used to express trends as average annual percentage change. Overall, incidence increased modestly (annual percentage change 0.9%, 95% con dence interval, 0.4, 1.4). When lymphomas were excluded, this result was not statistically signi cant (annual percentage change 0.5%, 95% condence interval, 2 0.1, 1.1). Speci c histologies that were increasing were lymphomas in individuals aged 20 to 64 years and in males aged 65 years or older, ependymo-mas in the population aged 20 to 64 years, nerve sheath tumors in males, and pituitary tumors in females. Increases that were not speci c to any population subgroup were seen for glioblastoma, oligodendrogliomas, and astrocytomas, excluding not otherwise speci ed (NOS) tumors. Corresponding decreases were noted for NOS, astrocytoma NOS, and glioma NOS. Increasing incidence trends for lymphomas were consistent with previous literature. Improvements in diagnostic technology in addition to changes in classi cation and coding were likely to be responsible for decreases seen in incidence of NOS subgroups and corresponding increases in glioma subgroups. In contrast, the increases identi ed for ependymomas, nerve sheath tumors, and pituitary tumors were less likely to be artifacts of improvements in diagnosis, and they warrant further study. Neuro-Oncology 3, 141-151, 2001 (Posted to Neuro-Oncology [serial online], Doc. 00-055, June 5, 2001. URL <neuro-oncology. mc.duke.edu>) by guest on January 21, 2016 http://neuro-oncology.oxfordjournals.org/ Downloaded from P.J. Jukich et al.: Incidence trends of primary brain tumors in the U.S. Neuro-Oncology n J U LY 2 0 0 1 142 by guest on January 21, 2016 http://neuro-oncology.oxfordjournals.org/ Downloaded from P.J. Jukich et al.: Incidence trends of primary brain tumors in the U.S. Neuro-Oncology n J ULY 2 0 0 1 P.J. Jukich et al.: Incidence trends of primary brain tumors in the U.S. Neuro-Oncology n J ULY 2 0 0 1 149 by guest on January 21, 2016 http://neuro-oncology.oxfordjournals.org/ Downloaded from 91, 1382-1390. P.J. Jukich et al.: Incidence trends of primary brain tumors in the U.S. Neuro-Oncology n J U LY 2 0 0 1 150 Neuro-Oncology n J ULY 2 0 0 1