Article

Although comparisons are difficult due to differences in methodologies, the
annual incidence rates of central nervous system (CNS) tumors range from 8.5 to
21.4/100,000 population according to cancer registries, with a predominance of
neuroepithelial tumors in men and meningiomas in women.
An increase in the
incidence of CNS tumors has been observed during the past decades in several
countries. It has been suggested that this trend could be due to aging of the
population, and improvements in diagnostic imaging and healthcare access, but
these factors do not explain differences in incidence by gender and histological
subtypes. Several etiological hypotheses related to intrinsic (sociodemographic,
anthropometric, hormonal, immunological, genetic) and exogenous (ionizing
radiation, electromagnetic fields, diet, infections, pesticides, drugs) risk
factors have led to analytical epidemiological studies to establish relationships
with CNS tumors. The only established environmental risk factor for CNS tumors is
ionizing radiation exposure. However, for other risk factors, studies have been
inconsistent and inconclusive due to systematic differences in study design and
difficulties in accurately measuring exposures. Thus, the etiology of CNS tumors
is complex and may involve several genetic and/or environmental factors that may
act differently according to histological subtype.
CI - Copyright (c) 2015. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

Langue : ANGLAIS