Who gets a brain tumor?
It is not known exactly how brain tumors occur, and why some people develop brain tumors while others do not have not yet been answered definitively. However, studies have revealed that people with certain characteristics are at higher risk.
The presence of risk factors does not mean that the person will get the disease 100%. It is a fact that many people get cancer without any known risk factors. There are some risk factors that increase the risk of brain tumors:
male gender; Although brain tumors are more common in men, meningiomas are more common in women.
Race; Compared to all other races, brain tumors are more common in Caucasians.
Age; Although most of the brain tumors are seen in people over 70 years of age, they are the second most common tumors in childhood. It is more common in children under 8 years of age than in older children.
Exposure to radiation is one of the most well-known risk factors. Radiation applied to the head for the treatment of brain tumors is used in other cancer treatments, and the application continues in patients because its therapeutic feature is more important than being a risk factor. Regardless of the name, when radiotherapy will be applied to a patient, a treatment plan should be made by making sure that the diagnosis is correct and taking into account the location of the patient. If this is not followed, we may see the harm rather than the benefit of radiotherapy.
People with immune system disorders have an increased risk of lymphoma in the brain. Lymphoma, disease-fighting white blood cells form in lymphocytes. The central nervous system is the most common site for lymphoma compared to other parts of the body. Defects in the immune system can be congenital or can be seen as a result of treatment applied due to other cancer treatments.
Family history, although rare, is important in brain cancer. Since people with a family history of glioma are more likely to develop glioma, a family history of brain tumor requires more serious consideration and appropriate investigations if there are complaints similar to those likely to occur in brain tumors from a younger age than those without a family history of brain tumors. Generally, when it comes to the diagnosis of a tumor based on familial factors, the patient is at a young age.
Being exposed to a number of pests in the workplace; Nuclear industry workers have a higher risk of developing a brain tumor due to radiation. Occupations that are heavily exposed to formaldehyde, such as pathologists, have a higher risk of developing a brain tumor. In people working in plastic production, the risk of developing a brain tumor may increase due to the use of vinyl chloride. Similarly, people working in the textile and plastic industries may be exposed to acrylonitrile, which may increase the risk of developing a brain tumor.
Other factors: Exposure to electromagnetic fields and infections of certain viruses are among the factors that increase the possible risk factor in the development of brain tumors. However, researchers were unable to obtain sufficient evidence that these factors lead to brain tumors. Therefore, research on risk factors continues.
