17/03/2026
Brain Tumours 3
Who is Affected?
Brain tumours can affect people of any age, including children, although they tend to be more common in older adults. More than 12,000 people are diagnosed with a primary brain tumour in the UK every year, of which half are cancerous. Many others are diagnosed with a secondary brain tumour.
The cause of most brain tumours is unknown, but there are several risk factors that may increase your chances of developing a brain tumour. The risks include:
• Age - the risk of getting a brain tumour increases with age (most brain tumours happen in older adults aged 85 to 89) Although some types of brain tumour are more common in children
• Radiation - exposure to radiation accounts for a very small number of brain tumours, some types of brain tumours are common in people who have had radiotherapy, or very rarely CT scans or X-rays of the head
• Family history and genetic conditions - some genetic conditions are known to increase the risk of getting a brain tumour, including tuberous sclerosis, neurofibromatosis type 1 and very rarely Turner syndrome
