46 - Cancer of brain

Summary

This is a sub-category of All cancer deaths (see Map 7). It refers to cancers that start within the brain, and does not include deaths from cancers that start elsewhere and spread to the brain.

There appears to be little geographical patterning to deaths from brain cancer. Higher SMRs are found in a few areas – Glasgow and the north of Edinburgh – with slightly lower rates in the south of Aberdeen and around Berwickshire. Within England and Wales there is a slight north–south divide with the southern part seeing slightly higher rates. Rates also tend to be slightly lower in the poorer parts of many cities and are slightly higher than average in those parts of the Home Counties nearest to London.

Brain tumours account for less than 2% of primary tumours in cancer, but 7% of years of life lost from cancer before age 70 (Cancer Research UK).

The commonest symptoms of brain tumours are headaches and fits (although brain tumours are a rare cause of headaches and fits: there is usually an alternative explanation for these symptoms).

There are nearly 100 different types of brain tumour. They tend to be named after the type of cell they developed from or the area of the brain in which they are located. It is not known what causes most brain tumours; the only known causal factor is exposure to radioactivity.

Politicians Mo Mowlam and Alan Clark and actor Brian Glover died from this cause.