Molecular Biology of Human Brain Tumors

The Central Brain Tumor Registry of the USA estimates the annual incidence of primary brain and central nervous system (CNS) tumors at 7.3/100,000 for malignant and 13.3/100,000 for nonmalignant tumors. A true comparison of incidence numbers across different time periods and countries is difficult given the inconsistency of data collection methods and the diversity in diagnostic criteria. Available diagnosis rates for malignant gliomas spanning the last three decades do not allow the determination of an increase or decline of age adapted incidence (Ohgaki and Kleihues, Acta Neuropathol 109:93–108, 2005; Ostrom et al., Neuro Oncol 16:896–913, 2014), despite remarkable changes of environment and lifestyle in industrial nations.