ON THIS PAGE: You will find information about the estimated number of people who will diagnosed with a brain tumor each year. You will also read general information on surviving the disease. Remember, survival rates depend on several factors, and no 2 people with a tumor are the same. Use the menu to see other pages.
Every person is different, with different factors influencing their risk of being diagnosed with this tumor and the chance of recovery after a diagnosis. It is important to talk with your doctor about any questions you have around the general statistics provided below and what they may mean for you individually. The original sources for these statistics are provided at the bottom of this page.
How many people are diagnosed with a brain tumor?
A primary brain or spinal cord tumor is a tumor that starts in the brain or spinal cord. In 2023, an estimated 24,810 adults (14,280 men and 10,530 women) in the United States will be diagnosed with primary cancerous tumors of the brain and spinal cord. A person’s likelihood of developing this type of tumor in their lifetime is less than 1%. Brain tumors account for 85% to 90% of all primary central nervous system (CNS) tumors. Worldwide, an estimated 308,102 people were diagnosed with a primary brain or spinal cord tumor in 2020.
It is estimated that 5,230 children under the age of 20 will also be diagnosed with a CNS tumor in the United States in 2023. The rest of this guide deals with primary brain tumors in adults. Learn more about brain tumors in children.
In addition to primary brain tumors, there are also secondary brain tumors or brain metastases. This is when the tumor started somewhere else in the body and spread to the brain. The most common cancers that spread to the brain are breast, kidney, and lung cancers, as well as leukemia, lymphoma, and melanoma. This guide covers primary adult brain tumors only.
Brain and other nervous system cancer is the 10th leading cause of death for men and women. It is estimated that 18,990 deaths (11,020 men and 7,970 women) from primary cancerous brain and CNS tumors will occur in the United States in 2023. In 2020, an estimated 251,329 people worldwide died from primary cancerous brain and CNS tumors.
What is the survival rate for a brain tumor?
There are different types of statistics that can help doctors evaluate a person’s chance of recovery from a brain tumor. These are called survival statistics. A specific type of survival statistic is called the relative survival rate. It is often used to predict how having a tumor may affect life expectancy. Relative survival rate looks at how likely people with a brain tumor are to survive for a certain amount of time after their initial diagnosis or start of treatment compared to the expected survival of similar people without this tumor.
Example: Here is an example to help explain what a relative survival rate means. Please note this is only an example and not specific to this type of cancer. Let’s assume that the 5-year relative survival rate for a specific type of cancer is 90%. “Percent” means how many out of 100. Imagine there are 1,000 people without cancer, and based on their age and other characteristics, you expect 900 of the 1,000 to be alive in 5 years. Also imagine there are another 1,000 people similar in age and other characteristics as the first 1,000, but they all have the specific type of cancer that has a 5-year survival rate of 90%. This means it is expected that 810 of the people with the specific cancer (90% of 900) will be alive in 5 years.
It is important to remember that statistics on the survival rates for people with a brain tumor are only an estimate. They cannot tell an individual person if the tumor will or will not shorten their life. Instead, these statistics describe trends in groups of people previously diagnosed with the same disease, including specific stages of the disease.
The 5-year relative survival rate for a cancerous brain or CNS tumor is almost 36%. The 10-year survival rate is over 30%.
The survival rates for a brain tumor vary based on several factors. These include the grade and prognostic factors of a tumor, a person’s age and general health, and how well the treatment plan works. Another factor that can affect outcomes is the type of brain or spinal cord tumor (see Introduction).
The 5-year relative survival rate for people younger than age 15 is about 75%. For people age 15 to 39, the 5-year relative survival rate nears 72%. The 5-year relative survival rate for people age 40 and older is 21%.
Experts measure relative survival rate statistics for a brain tumor every 5 years. This means the estimate may not reflect the results of advancements in how a brain tumor is diagnosed or treated from the last 5 years. Talk with your doctor if you have any questions about this information. Learn more about understanding statistics.
Statistics adapted from the American Cancer Society's publication, Cancer Facts & Figures 2023; the ACS website; the CBTRUS Statistical Report: Primary Brain and Other Central Nervous System Tumors Diagnosed in the United States in 2015-2019, published October 2022; the International Agency for Research on Cancer website; and the National Cancer Institute website. (All sources accessed February 2023.)
The next section in this guide is Risk Factors. It describes the factors that may increase the chance of developing a brain tumor. Use the menu to choose a different section to read in this guide.
FAQs
What is the statistic for brain tumors? ›
How common are brain and spinal cord tumors? The American Cancer Society's estimates for brain and spinal cord tumors in the United States for 2023 include both adults and children. About 24,810 malignant tumors of the brain or spinal cord (14,280 in males and 10,530 in females) will be diagnosed.
What are the odds of beating a brain tumor? ›The 5-year relative survival rate for people younger than age 15 is about 75%. For people age 15 to 39, the 5-year relative survival rate nears 72%. The 5-year relative survival rate for people age 40 and older is 21%. Experts measure relative survival rate statistics for a brain tumor every 5 years.
What percentage of people survive brain tumors? ›The average five-year relative survival rate for malignant brain tumors is 35.6 percent, according to the National Brain Tumor Society. This means that 35.6 percent of people who are diagnosed with brain cancer are still alive five years after their tumor is found.
What brain tumor has the highest survival rate? ›| Type of Tumor | 5-Year Relative Survival Rate | |
|---|---|---|
| Low-grade (diffuse) astrocytoma | 73% | 46% |
| Anaplastic astrocytoma | 58% | 29% |
| Glioblastoma | 22% | 9% |
| Oligodendroglioma | 90% | 82% |
The older you get the higher the risk. Being overweight or obese can also slightly increase your risk. If you have had radiotherapy treatment before can also increase your risk slightly. As can having a close relative such as parent, child or sibling who has had a brain tumour.
Who gets brain tumors the most? ›Cancers of the brain occur in people of all ages, but are more frequent in two age groups, children under the age of 15 and adults 65 years of age and over. Cancers of the spinal cord are less common than cancers of the brain.
Are most brain tumors harmless? ›Brain tumors are dangerous because they can put pressure on healthy parts of the brain or spread into those areas. Some brain tumors can also be cancerous or become cancerous. They can cause problems if they block the flow of fluid around the brain, which can lead to an increase in pressure inside the skull.
Can your body fight off a brain tumor? ›Although the immune system attempts to attack and remove the glioma, the T-cells aren't able to sufficiently infiltrate the areas of tumor growth. Furthermore, gliomas express a protein, FasL that, when in contact with immune cells, causes them to commit suicide.
Which brain tumor is not curable? ›There's no cure for glioblastoma, which is also known as glioblastoma multiforme. Treatments might slow cancer growth and reduce symptoms.
Are brain tumors 100% fatal? ›more than 95 out of 100 people (more than 95%) survive their brain tumour for 5 years or more.
Can you live 20 years with brain tumor? ›
Glioblastoma is the most aggressive type of brain tumor and is brain cancer; However, a small group of patients survive 5, 10, and even 20 years after initial diagnosis.
Why do brain tumors happen? ›Brain tumors happen when cells in or near the brain get changes in their DNA. A cell's DNA holds the instructions that tell the cell what to do. The changes tell the cells to grow quickly and continue living when healthy cells would die as part of their natural life cycle. This makes a lot of extra cells in the brain.
What is the least serious brain tumor? ›A benign (non-cancerous) brain tumour is a mass of cells that grows relatively slowly in the brain. Non-cancerous brain tumours tend to stay in one place and do not spread. It will not usually come back if all of the tumour can be safely removed during surgery.
Can you live a full life after a brain tumor? ›Depending on your age at diagnosis, the tumour may eventually cause your death. Or you may live a full life and die from something else. It will depend on your tumour type, where it is in the brain, and how it responds to treatment. Brain tumours can also be fast growing (high grade) and come back despite treatment.
What is the least severe brain tumor? ›Neurofibroma. Neurofibromas are benign, generally painless tumors that can grow on nerves anywhere in the body. In some cases, these soft, fleshy growths develop in the brain, on cranial nerves or on the spinal cord.
Should I worry about a brain tumor? ›Barnett recommends seeing a medical professional: Seizures: A tumor can make your brain's neurons fire wildly, leading to seizures. Changes in your mental status: Perhaps you've had confusion, one too many “senior moments” or more trouble than usual figuring out a restaurant bill.
Is it rare to have a brain tumor? ›What Are Brain Tumors? Brain tumors are rare — less than 1 percent of the population is diagnosed with a malignant (cancerous) brain tumor during their lifetime.
What causes brain tumors in healthy people? ›Brain and spinal cord tumors, like other tumors, are caused by changes in the DNA inside cells. DNA is the chemical that makes up our genes, which control how our cells function. We usually look like our parents because they are the source of our DNA. But DNA affects more than how we look.
Do brain tumors spread fast? ›A malignant brain tumour is a fast-growing cancer that spreads to other areas of the brain and spine. Generally, brain tumours are graded from 1 to 4, according to their behaviour, such as how fast they grow and how likely they are to grow back after treatment.
How can you prevent brain tumors? ›Making healthier lifestyle changes (i.e. quitting drinking and smoking) can help reduce the risk of many cancers in adults, including lung and breast cancers. Regarding brain tumors, however, there are no known lifestyle-related or environmental risk factors other than radiation exposure.
What were your first signs of a brain tumor? ›
- Headaches, which may be severe and worsen with activity or in the early morning.
- Seizures. People may experience different types of seizures. Certain drugs can help prevent or control them. ...
- Personality or memory changes.
- Nausea or vomiting.
- Fatigue.
- Drowsiness.
- Sleep problems.
- Memory problems.
Chronic stress can activate the hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal axis and the sympathetic nervous system, cause the release of endocrine hormones and promote the occurrence and development of tumors.
How common are brain tumors by age? ›| Age Group | Incidence | Mortality |
|---|---|---|
| Males and Females | Males and Females | |
| 70–74 years | 5.6 | 9.4-19.7 |
| 75–79 years | 3.2 | 7.0-18.1 |
| 80–84 years | 6.4 | 8.0-22.8 |
Some people recover well after brain surgery, but this can take some time. Other people have some problems, or long term difficulties. The problems you may have depends on the area of the brain where the tumour was (or still is if you only had part of the tumour removed).
How successful is removing a brain tumor? ›The median survival for patients with low-grade tumors may be more than 10 years, and for patients with high-grade tumors, it ranges from 1 to 3 years. For glioblastoma (the most common primary brain tumor in adults), the median progression-free survival is 9 months and the overall survival is 19 months.
What is the survival rate for a brain biopsy? ›Brain Biopsy: Survival
The 30- and 180-day survival rates for brain biopsies were 100% and 82%, respectively, for 2021.
It can sometimes be cured if caught early on, but a brain tumour often comes back and sometimes it isn't possible to remove it. Speak to your care team if you'd like to know what the outlook is for you, as it varies from person to person.
How long can you stay alive with a brain tumor? ›Generally, around 17 out of every 100 people with a cancerous brain tumour will survive for 5 years or more after being diagnosed.
How long can you live with a benign brain tumor? ›The hospital consultant treating you will help you to understand your treatment options and what outcome to expect. Generally, in Northern Ireland, about for those with benign brain tumours 87 in every 100 will survive for five years or more after being diagnosed.
Is brain tumour death painful? ›Some people don't have pain. But if a person is in pain, it can usually be well controlled, and people can be kept very comfortable. The doctors and nurses looking after the dying person will do all they can. Sometimes restlessness is a sign of being in pain.
What is death from a brain tumor like? ›
In the final stages of the disease, the patient's body will begin to shut down. Patients may lose the ability to speak, eat, and move. They may also suffer from seizures, hallucinations, or changes in breathing pattern. The skin may take on a bluish tint, and the patient may become increasingly lethargic.
Which brain tumor has the poorest prognosis? ›Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most invasive type of glial tumor. These tumors tend to grow rapidly, spread to other tissue and have a poor prognosis.
What celebrities have died from glioblastoma? ›Known medically as glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the cancer has also claimed the lives of senators Ted Kennedy and John McCain, actors Robert Forster and Tim Conway, as well as Beau Biden.
How fast do brain tumors grow? ›Many brain tumors grow slowly, particularly benign brain tumors. Some benign tumors may be safely monitored by a medical team for months or even years rather than being immediately removed with surgery. Many malignant tumors, though, are more aggressive and fast-growing and likely need prompt treatment.
Are most brain tumors benign? ›An estimated 700,000 Americans are living with a primary brain tumor. And an estimated 90,000 people will receive a primary brain tumor diagnosis in 2022. Here's a breakdown that may surprise many: About 71 percent of all brain tumors are benign and about 29 percent are malignant.
Can lack of sleep cause brain tumors? ›Disrupted sleep is known to have significant systemic pro-tumor effects, both in patients with other types of cancer and those with malignant brain lesions.
Do I have a brain tumor or is it anxiety? ›Changes in mental function, mood or personality.
You may feel drowsy, confused and unable to think. Depression and anxiety, especially if either develops suddenly, may be an early symptom of a brain tumor. You may become uninhibited or behave in ways you never have before.
Generally speaking, a brain tumor can take several months or even years to develop. Glioblastomas are the most common and aggressive brain cancer. Their ability to grow undetected by the immune system makes them one of our primary examples.
What are the warning signs of a brain tumor? ›- Headaches, which may be severe and worsen with activity or in the early morning.
- Seizures. People may experience different types of seizures. Certain drugs can help prevent or control them. ...
- Personality or memory changes.
- Nausea or vomiting.
- Fatigue.
- Drowsiness.
- Sleep problems.
- Memory problems.
In the unadjusted analysis, the mortality rate for privately insured patients was 1.28% (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.13%-1.42%), compared to 2.60% for uninsured patients (CI, 1.87%-3.33%, P<.
What is the success rate of brain tumor surgery? ›
The surgical removal by and large is the most effective treatment of brain tumor. With early treatment, more than 85% of patients survive for 5 years. The chances of survival are dropped to 40 % in case of late-stage cancers, when the tumor is large and cannot be removed surgically.
At what age are brain tumors most common? ›- Approximately 1.7% of all brain tumors occur in the adolescent (15-19) population.
- Infants less than one year of age have the highest incidence of brain tumors of all children and adolescents 0-19 [3]
Brain and spinal cord tumors, like other tumors, are caused by changes in the DNA inside cells. DNA is the chemical that makes up our genes, which control how our cells function. We usually look like our parents because they are the source of our DNA. But DNA affects more than how we look.
How do you rule out a brain tumor? ›Diagnosing a brain tumor usually involves a neurological exam, brain scans and a biopsy, if it can be done safely. A neurological exam may include a variety of tests to evaluate neurological functions such as balance, hearing, vision and reflexes.
Are you ever the same after brain surgery? ›Some people recover well after brain surgery, but this can take some time. Other people have some problems, or long term difficulties. The problems you may have depends on the area of the brain where the tumour was (or still is if you only had part of the tumour removed).
What is the life expectancy after a craniotomy? ›Survival: Infratentorial Craniotomy
The 30- and 180-day survival rates for infratentorial craniotomy were 100% for 2021.
The most expensive surgery which are neurosurgeon do is Cranial Shunt surgery.
How serious is brain tumor removal? ›Surgery on the brain or spinal cord is a serious operation, and surgeons are very careful to try to limit any problems either during or after surgery. Complications during or after any type of surgery can include bleeding, infections, or reactions to anesthesia, although these are not common.
Has anyone survived a malignant brain tumor? ›The voices of long-term survivors are often less widely heard. Although the average life expectancy after diagnosis is 14 to 16 months, approximately 1% of patients survive at least 10 years. Currently, the longest anyone has survived a glioblastoma is more than 20 years and counting.
Can you fully recover from a brain tumor? ›Having treatment for a brain tumour is often life changing. Some people make a full recovery and are able to go back to work. How long it takes for you to recover depends on your individual situation. Everyone takes a different amount of time to recover.
What is the best hospital for brain tumors? ›
Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, is recognized among the Best Hospitals for neurology and neurosurgery and is ranked highly performing for cancer by U.S. News & World Report.