TYPES OF BRAIN CANCER IN THE CENTRAL TEXAS MILITARY POPULATION

Abstract Multiple studies have demonstrated a correlation with military service and brain tumors, both for primary tumors and meningiomas. However, there is little comprehensive research on tumor types in the US military population. We evaluated our local brain tumor bank to identify types and correlates of brain tumors in a military vs. civilian population in central Texas. PURPOSE The purpose of our research was to describe brain cancers in the military population when compared to nonmilitary population in our local database. METHODS Retrospective data was derived from our brain tumor bank at the Baylor Scott & White in central Texas. Tumors were classified based on final histologically confirmed diagnosis when possible. Demographics and correlates. We obtained military background by chart review of notes, occupation, insurance provider and relationship to insured in the electronic medical record. RESULTS Data from 53 veterans and 170 non-veterans were analyzed. The most common tumor type in Veterans was glioblastoma multiforme (20.75%) followed by metastatic lesions (18.87%), meningiomas (16.98%) and adenomas (13.21%). There was no statistically significant difference in distribution of tumor types between civilians and controls. Demographic analysis revealed an older age of diagnosis in Veterans than civilians for the top three most common tumor types with glioblastoma multiforme (67.64 vs 61.65) with a difference of 5.99 years; metastatic lesions (69.4 vs 61.22) with a difference of 8.18 years and meningiomas (63.88 vs 57.57) with a difference of 6.31 years. (military versus civilians average age, respectively). CONCLUSION The age of onset for the three most common types of tumors were older in the Veteran population than civilians by an average of 6.82 years. More research into the older age of diagnosis for the Veterans should be further explored. Our research did not find any correlation between military service and tumor types as previous studies have shown.