What is cancer of the brain and central nervous system?
Brain cancer and cancer of the central nervous system starts in the
cells of the brain, spinal cord, the thick layer of protective tissue
covering the brain and spinal cord (meninges), the cerebrospinal fluid
and the pituitary gland. Tumours of the CNS are often classified as
having benign or malignant behaviour. Benign tumours usually grow slowly
and rarely spread, whereas malignant tumours may be fast growing and
spread within the brain and the spinal cord. The statistics provided in
this report only include patients diagnosed with primary brain and CNS
cancers, where the tumour has started in the brain and CNS. When cancer
starts in another area of the body and spreads to the brain and CNS it
is referred to as secondary or metastatic brain and CNS cancer.
In this Fact Sheet, statistics reported for benign brain and CNS
tumours also include tumours classified as being of uncertain
behaviour.
You can access further information about cancer of the brain and
central nervous system, including risk factors, symptoms, diagnosis and
treatment from
Cancer
Council Victoria. You can also
call
our trusted cancer nurses on 13 11 20 for support and to learn about
our range of services for people affected by cancer.
The Victorian Cancer Registry also operates an interactive web
portal,
Data
Explorer, which provides more trends and statistics than published
here.
How common is cancer of the brain and central nervous system?
In 2023, 1277 Victorians were diagnosed with brain and CNS cancer. Of
these, there were 581 males and 696 females, representing 59.1% and
40.9% of the total Victorian brain and CNS cancer diagnoses,
respectively.
In 2023, 754 Victorians were diagnosed with benign brain and CNS
tumours. Of these, there were 272 males and 482 females, representing
36.1% and 63.9% of the total Victorian non-malignant brain and CNS
cancer diagnoses, respectively. Currently, benign brain and CNS cancer
is diagnosed at a rate of 7.5 per 100,000 males and 12.4 per 100,000
females. The median age at diagnosis of benign brain and CNS cancer is
58 years in males and 59 in females (Figure 1 & 2).
In 2023, 523 Victorians were diagnosed with malignant brain and CNS
tumours. Of these, there were 309 males and 214 females, representing
59.1% and 40.9% of the total Victorian malignant brain and CNS cancer
diagnoses, respectively. Currently, brain and CNS cancer classified as
malignant is diagnosed at a rate of 8.3 per 100,000 males and 5.5 per
100,000 females.The median age at diagnosis of malignant brain and CNS
cancer is 60 years in males and 62 in females (Figure 1 & 2).
Accounting for 1.3% of all cancers diagnosed and 3.2% of all
cancer-related deaths in 2023, malignant brain and CNS cancer was the
18th most commonly diagnosed cancer and the 9th most common cause of
cancer-related deaths in Victoria in 2023.
Trends in cancer of the brain and central nervous system over
time
Figure 3a shows that for males between 2021 to 2023 the age
standardised incidence rate of benign brain and CNS cancer declined by
an average of 19.3% per year. However this result was not statistically
significant, meaning the change cannot be confidently considered real
and may be due to random fluctuations.
For females between 2019 to 2023 the age standardised incidence rate
of benign brain and CNS cancer declined by an average of 4.1% per year.
However this result was not statistically significant, meaning the
change cannot be confidently considered real and may be due to random
fluctuations.
Brain and CNS cancer morphology
Figure 4a provides a summary of the different types of cells
(morphology) which have caused brain and CNS tumours classified as
benign or of uncertain behaviour. Most, 58%, present as meningioma
tumours. Figure 4b provides a summary of the different types of cells
(morphology) which have caused malignant brain and CNS tumours. Most
malignant brain and CNS tumours, 62.8%, present as glioblastoma
tumours.
Geographical variance in cancer of the brain and central nervous
system by local government area
Figure 5 demonstrates variation in age-standardised incidence rates
of brain and CNS cancer, including malignant tumours and those
classified as benign or of uncertain behaviour, by local government
areas. Darker shading indicates areas with higher rates of brain and CNS
cancer.
Cancer of the brain and central nervous system in people born
overseas
Figure 6 shows the age standardised incidence rates of brain and CNS
cancer, including malignant tumours and those classified as benign or of
uncertain behaviour, in Australian-born Victorians compared to other
major migrant groups over the five-year period 2018 to 2022. The highest
age standardised incidence rate for brain and CNS cancer was 10.1 for
males born in the Other Europe region and the lowest rate of 4.2 was
observed in males born in the South-East Asia region. The highest age
standardised incidence rate for brain and CNS cancer was 9.5 for females
born in the North America region and the lowest rate of 1.7 was observed
in females born in the South-East Asia region.
Cancer of the brain and central nervous system five-year relative
survival
Figure 7 shows the change in 5-year survival for brain and CNS cancer
and the 5-year survival trend for all cancers over the same time period.
It demonstrates that five-year relative survival has increased for
benign brain and CNS cancer between 1983-1987 and 2018-2022 from 86% to
95%. Five-year relative survival has increased for malignant brain and
CNS cancer between 1983-1987 and 2018-2022 from 22% to 28%.