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Cancers at a glance

Click the cancer types below to view the latest key facts on trends in new cases, deaths and survival in NSW.

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Cancer presentation slides

View and download slides of key cancer statistics and facts for use in your presentations.

In depth cancer reports

For detailed data and analysis, please see the latest cancer reports published by the Cancer Institute

Cancer in NSW: Incidence and Mortality 2008

Other cancer reports

Online cancer statistics

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Online statistics module

Brain cancer

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Brain cancer accounts for 1.4 per cent of all new cancer in NSW and 2.6 per cent of cancer deaths.

At a glance

2008 statistics Men Women All People
Cases Rate Trend Cases Rate Trend Cases Rate
New cases 295 8.3 icon-trend-static.png 205 5.3 icon-trend-static.png 500 6.7
Deaths 198 5.6 icon-trend-static.png 141 3.5 positive trend downwards 19.2% 339 4.6
Relative survival
(5 year)		 21% icon-trend-static.png 2% 24% icon-trend-static.png 3%

icon-trend-static.png Change is not statistically significant.

  • Brain cancer is the 18th most common cancer and the 15th most common cause of cancer death in NSW.
  • One in 96 males and one in 163 females will develop brain cancer by the age of 85.
  • Prognosis is best after complete removal of the cancer by surgery.

Cases refers to the number of people with the disease; Rate means cases per 100,000 people (age standardised); Trend means the change in the rate over 10 years.

Historical trends

New cases

Age-standardised incidence, NSW

NSW brain cancer incidence, 1972-2008

Deaths

Age-standardised mortality, NSW

NSW brain cancer mortality, 1972-2008

 

Risk factors

  • There are very few known risk factors for brain tumours.
  • Exposure to ionising radiation to the head, usually received for treatment of other cancers, is an established risk factor.
  • Children younger than 14 years of age appear to be at a higher risk for brain tumours than older children.
  • People with impaired immune systems due to congenital abnormalities, side effects from cancer treatment, immunosuppressive therapy or HIV infection are also at increased risk.

 

Prevention

There are no known measures to prevent brain cancer.

Detection and screening

There is no screening test for brain cancer.

Symptoms of brain cancer are also associated with more common illnesses that are not cancer. Such symptoms include: headache, nausea and vomiting, blurred vision, problems with speech or hearing, problems with balance or memory and mood changes.

A range of tests may be performed to diagnose brain cancer, including neurological examination by a doctor, a CT-scan, MRI and biopsy.

Research

Around $4.5million was spent on neurological cancer research in NSW between 2007 and 2009.

Benign brain tumours such as meningioma have a good prognosis and are not included in this type of cancer.

Data sources:

  1. Cancer In NSW, Incidence and Mortality Report 2008. Sydney: Cancer Institute NSW, August 2010.
  2. Cancer Research in NSW 2007-2009. Sydney: Cancer Institute NSW. March 2011.
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