Risk Factors for Brain Tumor

Executive Summary

Risk factors influence the chance of developing cancer among individuals, but individuals with no risk factors also develop cancer. The individual’s risk factors for a brain tumor are still unclear. Some of the risk factors identified for brain tumor causes include age, gender, home and work exposure, family history, exposure to infections, viruses and allergens, ionizing radiation, race and ethnicity, compromised immune system, head injury and seizures, and presence of N-nitroso compounds in the diet.

Risk Factors Associated with Brain Tumors

The Risk Factors for Brain Tumors can be anything that influences the chance of developing any cancer. But having a risk factor, or many does not give certainty of having particular cancer. Some people with no risk factors can also develop cancer. 

In people with primary brain tumors, the reason for the tumor is not clear. But some factors have been identified that may increase your risk of a brain tumor ^​1​.

Like most cancers, the frequency of brain cancer increases with an increase in age, with more chances in people aged 65 or older. Adults have a shallow risk of developing medulloblastomas, while gliomas are usually common in adults. The cases of meningiomas and craniopharyngiomas are far more frequent in adults over age 50, but again, these tumors may occur at any age ^​2​.

In general, males are more likely to have brain tumors than women. However, certain cancers, like meningiomas, are twice as likely to develop in women, while medulloblastomas are more frequently found in males ^​3​.

Exposure to solvents, pesticides, oil products, rubber, or vinyl chloride can probably increase the Risk Factors for Brain Tumors. However, there is no scientific evidence that supports this possible link yet.

About 5% of brain tumors are linked to hereditary genetic factors or syndromes, like Li-Fraumeni syndrome, neurofibromatosis, nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome, tuberous sclerosis, Turcot syndrome, and von Hippel-Lindau disease ^​4​.

Infection with the Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) increases the risk of CNS lymphoma. Also, high levels of a common virus called cytomegalovirus (CMV) have been found in brain tumor tissue. Of note, studies have shown that people with a history of allergies or skin conditions have a lower risk of glioma ^​5​.

As per the American Brain Tumor Association, people with a history of childhood chickenpox have a decreased risk of getting brain tumors.

Previous treatment to the brain or head with ionizing radiation, including x-rays, is a risk factor for a brain tumor ^​6​. One can be exposed to radiation from nuclear fallout like the incidents in Fukushima and Chernobyl nuclear power plants.

White people are more likely to develop gliomas but less likely to develop meningioma than Black people. Also, people from northern Europe are more than twice as likely to develop a brain tumor as people in Japan. 

Brain tumors, in general, are more common in Caucasians. However, African-American people have more chances to get meningiomas.

Some people with compromised immune systems have an increased risk of developing lymphomas of the brain.

Serious head trauma has been shown to link with meningioma.  

Some diet and vitamin supplementation studies indicate that dietary N-nitroso compounds may raise the risk of childhood and adult brain tumors ^​7​. Dietary N-nitroso compounds are formed in the body from nitrites or nitrates found in some cured meats, cigarette smoke, and cosmetics.

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