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 2021, 1336 Victorians were diagnosed with brain and CNS cancer. Of these, there were 636 males and 700 females, representing 47.6% and 52.4% of the total Victorian brain and CNS cancer diagnoses, respectively. In 2021, 868 Victorians were diagnosed with benign brain and CNS tumours. Of these, there were 369 males and 499 females, representing 42.5% and 57.5% of the total Victorian non-malignant brain and CNS cancer diagnoses, respectively. Currently, benign brain and CNS cancer is diagnosed at a rate of 8 per 100,000 males and 10.2 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 2021, 468 Victorians were diagnosed with malignant brain and CNS tumours. Of these, there were 265 males and 200 females, representing 57% and 43% 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 5.6 per 100,000 males and 3.9 per 100,000 females.The median age at diagnosis of malignant brain and CNS cancer is 60 years in males and 61 in females (Figure 1 & 2).
Accounting for 1.3% of all cancers diagnosed and 3.5% of all cancer-related deaths in 2021, malignant brain and CNS cancer was the 19th most commonly diagnosed cancer and the 9th most common cause of cancer-related deaths in Victoria in 2021.
Trends in cancer of the brain and central nervous system over time
Figure 3a shows that since 1982 incidence of benign brain and CNS cancer has increased by an average of 3.4% per year in males and increased by an average of 3% per year in females. Trends in mortality due to benign brain and CNS cancer are unavailable at this time due to differences in how the data is collected for malignant and benign tumours. Figure 3b shows that since 1982 incidence of brain and CNS cancer classified as malignant has decreased by an average of 0.1% per year in males and decreased by an average of 0.1% in females. Over the past 39 years, mortality from malignant brain and CNS cancer has decreased by 0.3% per year in males and decreased by 0.5% per year in females.
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, 57.2%, 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, 60.8%, 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 2017 to 2021. The highest age standardised incidence rate for brain and CNS cancer was 17.3 for males born in the Southern Europe region and the lowest rate of 8.9 was observed in males born in the North-East Asia region. The highest age standardised incidence rate for brain and CNS cancer was 19.5 for females born in the Other Europe region and the lowest rate of 10 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 1986-1990 and 2016-2020 from 89% to 94%. Five-year relative survival has decreased for malignant brain and CNS cancer between 1986-1990 and 2016-2020 from 28% to 27%.