Global variations, temporal trends, and socioeconomic inequalities in the burden of malignant brain and central nervous system tumors: a population-based systematic analysis of GLOBOCAN 2024

Abstract

Background Previous assessments of the burden of malignant brain and central nervous system (CNS) tumors have mainly focused on incidence and mortality rates, with less emphasis on lifetime risks. This study aimed to estimate the incidence, mortality, and lifetime risk of developing or dying from brain and CNS tumors and the impact of socioeconomic inequality across countries. Methods Data on brain and CNS tumors were obtained from GLOBOCAN 2024 and the Cancer Incidence in Five Continents Plus (CI5plus) database, population and death data were sourced from World Population Prospects 2024. Lifetime risk estimation was conducted using the life table method adjusted for multiple primaries. We assessed trends in brain and CNS tumors incidence, lifetime risks, and histological subtypes during 2003 to 2017. The association between the human development index (HDI) and lifetime risks was assessed using generalized linear models. Results In 2024, the age-standardized incidence and mortality rates for brain and CNS tumors were 3.37 and 2.51 per 100,000 population, respectively. The estimated global lifetime risk of developing or dying from brain and CNS tumors, from birth to death was 0.39% and 0.32%, respectively. Significant variations in lifetime risks were observed among countries and regions, as well as across different HDI levels. The lifetime risk of developing brain and CNS tumors among countries with a low, medium, high, and very high HDI was 0.16%, 0.19%, 0.45%, and 0.59%, respectively; the risks of dying from the disease in these categories were 0.14%, 0.17%, 0.34%, and 0.48%, respectively. Histological subtypes of brain and CNS tumors showed large discrepancies among age groups and countries. The most frequently diagnosed histological type was astrocytic tumors. Conclusions We found significant heterogeneity in the incidence, mortality, and lifetime risk of brain and CNS tumors among geographic and HDI levels, which potentially reflects disparities in medical resource allocation and genetic exposures.