CBTRUS Fact Sheet
The Central Brain Tumor Registry of the United States (CBTRUS) maintains and regularly updates a database of primary malignant and non-malignant tumors of the brain, other central nervous system (CNS), tumors of the pituitary and pineal glands, olfactory tumors of the nasal cavity, and brain lymphoma and leukemia. These data are the source of the 2024 CBTRUS Statistical Report, the 2024 CBTRUS Fact Brochure, CBTRUS peer-reviewed publications, and the statistical facts and information shown on this page.
CBTRUS presents incidence data on all newly diagnosed primary brain and other CNS tumors from two national sources: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Program of Cancer Registries (NPCR) and the National Institute of Health’s National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Program. Cancer surveillance data (of all types of cancer) from these two programs are combined and are referred to as the United States Cancer Statistics (USCS), the official source for federal cancer data. There are 52 population-based central cancer registries that contribute to this data collection effort. They include cancer registries from all 50 states plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. These data represent nearly 100% of the US population (excluding cases from Indiana for 2020 and 2021).
Incidence rates in the United States provided by CBTRUS are based on the 2000 US standard population and are reported per 100,000 population for 2017-2021.
The CBTRUS database is comprised of only de-identified data. No patient-identifying information is collected.
Worldwide incidence rates, used for comparison, are from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which includes primary malignant tumors of the brain and other CNS (excluding brain lymphoma and leukemia, tumors of the pituitary and pineal glands, and olfactory tumors of the nasal cavity). These global rates are age-adjusted using the world standard population. These rates may be compared to other rates adjusted to the world standard population, but they cannot be compared to rates adjusted to other population standards, such as the 2000 United States standard population.
CBTRUS presents observed and relative survival based on the CDC/NPCR data. This dataset provides population-based information for 91.7% of the United States population for the years 2001 to 2020 and is a subset of the data used for the incidence calculations presented in the 2024 CBTRUS Statistical Report. Survival information is derived from both active and passive follow-up. Survival data for malignant brain and other CNS tumors were obtained from 43 NPCR registries for years 2001 to 2020 and for non-malignant brain and other CNS tumors for years 2004 to 2020.
The facts provided below are based on the most up-to-date information available and includes almost 100% of the United States population. This information is based on data from 2017-2021 that were analyzed in 2023 and 2024.
United States Incidence
- The incidence rate of all primary malignant and non-malignant brain and other CNS tumors in the United States was 25.34 cases per 100,000 population, for a total count of 467,894 incident tumors; (6.89 per 100,000 for malignant tumors [126,807 cases] and 18.46 per 100,000 for non-malignant tumors [341,087 cases]).
- The rate was higher in females (28.77per 100,000) than males (21.78 per 100,000).¹
Global Incidence
- The worldwide incidence rate of primary malignant brain and other CNS tumors in 2022, age-adjusted using the world standard population, was 3.5 per 100,000 population.
- Incidence rates by sex were 3.9 per 100,000 population in males and 3.1 per 100,000 population in females.
- This represented an estimated 173,699 males and 148,032 females who were diagnosed worldwide with a primary malignant brain tumor in 2022, an overall total of 321,731 individuals.²
- Incidence rates were higher in high-income countries (4.9 per 100,000) than low-middle (2.4 per 100,000) or low-income countries (178 per 100,000).²
Pediatric Incidence (Ages 0-14 Years)
- The incidence rate of childhood primary malignant and non-malignant brain and other CNS tumors in the United States was 5.61 cases per 100,000 population, for a total 5-year count of 16,905 cases with an annual average of 3,381.¹
- The most common histopathology in this age group was pilocytic astrocytoma with an incidence rate of 1.25 per 100,000.
Adolescent Incidence (Ages 15-19 Years)
- The incidence rate of adolescent primary malignant and non-malignant brain and other CNS tumors in the United States was 7.26 cases per 100,000 population for a total 5-year count of 7,871 cases with an annual average of 1,574.¹
- The incidence rate of adolescent primary malignant brain and other CNS tumors was 2.5 with a total count of 2,701.
- The incidence rate of adolescent primary non-malignant brain and other CNS tumors was 4.76 cases per 100,000 population for a total 5-year count of 5,170.¹
- Brain and other CNS tumors in adolescents account for 2% of the reported brain and other CNS tumors in 2017-2021.¹
Adolescent & Young Adult (AYA) Incidence (Ages 15-39 Years)
- The incidence rate of AYA primary malignant and non-malignant brain and other CNS tumors in the US was 12.07 cases per 100,000 population for a total 5-year total of 65,399 cases.¹
- The rate was higher for non-malignant tumors (8.91 per 100,000) when compared to primary malignant tumors (3.16 per 100,000).¹
- The most common histopathology in this age group was tumors of the pituitary with an incidence rate of 4.47 per 100,000.¹
Adult Incidence (Ages 40+ Years)
- The incidence rate of adult primary malignant and non-malignant brain and other CNS tumors in the United States was 46.14 cases per 100,000 population for a five-year total of 385,590 cases.¹
- The rate was higher for non-malignant tumors (34.55per 100,000), for a total of 286,883, when compared to malignant tumors (11.59 per 100,000), for a total of 98,707.¹
- The most common histopathology in this age group was glioblastoma with an incidence rate of 21.88 per 100,000.¹
Mortality
- The average annual mortality rate in the United States between 2017 and 2021 was 4.41 per 100,000 population with 87,053 total deaths (5.37 per 100,000 with 49,234 death for males and 3.59 per 100,000 with 37,819 deaths for females) attributed to primary malignant brain and other CNS tumors.
- This represents an average of 17,411 deaths per year and 48 deaths per day.¹
Lifetime Risk
- From birth, a person in the United States has a 0.6% chance of ever being diagnosed with a primary malignant brain and other CNS tumor (excluding lymphomas, leukemias, tumors of pituitary and pineal glands, and olfactory tumors of the nasal cavity) and a 0.50% chance of dying from the primary malignant brain and other CNS tumor.4
- For males in the United States, the lifetime risk of developing a primary malignant brain and other CNS tumor is 0.70%, and the risk of dying from a primary malignant brain and other CNS tumor is 0.56%.4
- For females in the United States, the lifetime risk of developing a primary malignant brain and other CNS tumor is 0.54%, and the risk of dying from a primary malignant brain and other CNS tumor is 0.42%.4
Survival
- The five-year relative survival rate in the United States from 2001 to 2020 following diagnosis of a primary malignant brain and other CNS tumor (including lymphomas and leukemias, tumors of the pituitary and pineal glands, and olfactory tumors of the nasal cavity) was 35.7%.¹
- The five-year relative survival rate following diagnosis with a primary non-malignant brain or other CNS tumor (including lymphomas and leukemias, tumors of the pituitary and pineal glands, and olfactory tumors of the nasal cavity) was 92.0% in the United States (2004-2020).¹
- Median observed survival in primary malignant brain and other CNS tumors was lowest for glioblastoma (9 months) and highest for choroid plexus tumors (219 months, or approximately 18.3 years).¹
Time Trendsa
- While incidence of brain and other CNS tumors increased overall and among non-malignant tumors only, there was a significant decrease in malignant tumors overall from 2004-2017.1,a
- Non-malignant brain tumors only had significant increases in incidence from 2004-2009 and from 2009-2021.1,a
Prevalence
- The overall prevalence as of December 31, 2019 for all primary brain and other CNS tumors was estimated to be 1,323,121 cases, of which 14.6% were malignant (195,048 cases).4
- The prevalence of primary brain and other CNS tumors in children (ages 0–14 years) was estimated to total 28,219 as of December 31, 2019, the majority of which were malignant (65.4% or 18,467 cases).5
- Prevalence in AYA (ages 15-39 years) was estimated to 189,387 cases.6
- Among adults ages 40+ years, Glioblastoma was most prevalent primary malignant brain and other CNS tumor at 21,724 cases.5
- Diffuse and anaplastic astrocytoma was the most prevalence of all malignant brain and other CNS tumors with a prevalence 30,633 cases as of December 31, 2019.5
- Meningioma had the highest overall prevalence (1/3 of all brain tumors) with 491,509 cases as of December 31, 2019, the majority of which were non-malignant (488,359 or 99%).5
Molecular Data, 2018-2021
- IDH1/2 mutant astrocytoma had an incidence rate of 0.46 per 100,000 population with a median age of 37 years, while IDH1/2 wildtype astrocytoma had an incidence rate of 2.70 per 100,000 population with a median age of 65 years.¹
- IDH1/2 mutant & 1p/19q-codeleted Oligodendroglioma, all grades, had an incidence rate of 0.29 per 100,000 population with 43.5% occurring in females and 75.6% occurring in non-Hispanic White persons with a median age of 45 years overall.¹
- SHH-activated & TP53-wildtype medulloblastoma had an incidence rate of 0.03 per 100,000 population and a median age of diagnosis of 19 years.¹
- Diffuse midline glioma, H3 K27M-mutant had an incidence rate of 0.06 per 100,000 population and a median age of diagnosis of 16 years.¹
Notes
a All trends analyses are estimated using data collected through diagnosis year 2021 but exclude 2020 as an outlier. Please see the statement from the NCI’s SEER program on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, including a recorded webinar, at https://seer.cancer.gov/data/covid-impact.html
References
1 Price M, Ballard C, Benedetti J, Neff C, Cioffi G, Waite KA, Kruchko C, Barnholtz-Sloan JS, Ostrom QT. CBTRUS Statistical Report: Primary Brain and Other Central Nervous System Tumors Diagnosed in the United States in 2017-2021. Neuro Oncol. 2024.
2 Bray F, Laversanne M, Sung H, Ferlay J, Siegel RL, Soerjomataram I, Jemal A. Global cancer statistics 2022: GLOBOCAN estimates of incidence and mortality worldwide for 36 cancers in 185 countries. CA Cancer J Clin. 2024 Apr 4. doi: 10.3322/caac.21834. PMID: 38572751.
3 Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Program. SEER*Stat Database: Mortality – All COD, Aggregated With State, Total U.S. (1969-2022) <Katrina/Rita Population Adjustment>, National Cancer Institute, DCCPS, Surveillance Research Program, released April 2024. Underlying mortality data provided by NCHS (www.cdc.gov/nchs).2024.
4 Ostrom QT, Price M, Neff C, Cioffi G, Waite KA, Kruchko C, Barnholtz-Sloan JS, CBTRUS Statistical Report: Primary Brain and Other Central Nervous System Tumors Diagnosed in the United States in 2016–2020. Neuro Oncol. Volume 25, Issue Supplement_4, October 2023, Pages iv1–iv99, doi: 10.1093/neuonc/noad149. PMID: 37793125. PMCID: PMC10550277
5 Neff C, Price M, Cioffi G, Kruchko C, Waite K, Barnholtz-Sloan JS, Ostrom QT. Complete prevalence of primary malignant and nonmalignant brain tumors in comparison to other cancers in the United States. Cancer. May 18 2023; 129(16): 2514–2521.