Brain and nervous system tumours (ICD-9 191,192)

This category includes benign tumours of the central nervous system and meninges.

The incidence rate in Nordic countries was on an essentially higher level (rates in both sexes 87-111/10⁶) than in other countries. The variation in mortality rates was smaller but went in the same direction. The highest mortality/incidence ratios were in Latvia and Belarus (0.9) and lowest in Sweden (about 0.4).

The incidence and mortality curves had two peaks, the first at early childhood and the other around the age of 70. In all age groups the incidence rates were highest in the Nordic countries, whereas there was almost no variation between countries in mortality rates except in the oldest age categories.

Comment

The aetiology of brain tumours is poorly understood. The spatial variation is determined by differences in diagnosis, classification and reporting.