Research Assistant Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania Yardley, Pennsylvania, United States
Introduction: Malignant neoplasms of the brain and nervous system are amongst the most fatal cancers as they account for a disproportionate percentage of the cancer mortality rate in the world. Studies have shown that approximately 33% of individuals survive at least five years after diagnosis. This study aims to assess trends in cause-specific mortality from brain and nervous system cancers in Western countries.
Methods: Data was compiled regarding malignant brain and nervous system cancers from the World Health Organization (WHO) mortality database. Eleven Western countries (Australia, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, Ireland, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom (UK), and the United States (US)) were analyzed from 1990 to 2020.
Results: A total of 733,836 deaths due to brain and nervous system malignancies were recorded from 1990 to 2020. The United States had the highest number of total deaths (428,312), while Ireland had the least (6,437). Belgium had the sharpest decrease in annual death rate, from 5.21 per 100,000 in 1990, to 3.41 in 2020 [-34.47%]. Australia, Denmark, Ireland, Sweden, and United Kingdom all experienced decreases in age-standardized death rates in the study time (-22.07%, -0.36%, -12.58%, -13.64%, -1.03%, respectively.) Croatia had the highest change in age-standardized mortality per 100,000 from 1990 (4.77) to 2019 (5.67), an increase of 18.26%. Denmark has the highest percentage of deaths due to brain neoplasms, at (0.924%), followed by Australia (0.921%), Croatia (0.788%), and Austria (0.676%).
Conclusion : Although many countries have seen declining mortality rates due to malignant brain and nervous system neoplasms, overall mortality still remains high throughout Western countries. This investigation warrants a deeper investigation into treatment for this deadly condition.
