Risk of second benign brain tumors among cancer survivors in the surveillance, epidemiology, and end results program

Abstract

Risk of second benign brain tumors, particularly meningioma, is increased following first primary cancers of the brain/CNS, thyroid, prostate, and ALL. Radiation exposure likely contributes to these excess risks.

Incidence of and Risk Factors for Histologically Confirmed Solid Benign Tumors Among Long-term Survivors of Childhood Cancer

“…For some organs, elevated risks in CCSs were shown after radiotherapy, including benign tumors of the central nervous system, salivary and/or thyroid gland, and colorectal tract, mostly based on self-reports or retrospective medical record review. Benign tumors can occur as part of specific familial cancer predisposition syndromes, such as neurofibromatosis type 1 or 2 (NF1/NF2) …”

“…5 In addition, benign tumors may be cancer precursors, including for example colorectal adenoma 6 and thyroid nodules, 7 offering potential opportunities for early detection of precancerous growths. [8][9][10] For some organs, elevated risks in CCSs were shown after radiotherapy, including benign tumors of the central nervous system, 11,12 salivary and/or thyroid gland, [13][14][15] and colorectal tract, 16,17 mostly based on self-reports or retrospective medical record review. Benign tumors can occur as part of specific familial cancer predisposition syndromes, such as neurofibromatosis type 1 or 2 (NF1/NF2).…”

Past medical history of tumors other than meningioma is a negative prognostic factor for tumor recurrence in meningiomas WHO grade I

“…Most of our patients with a positive oncological history had malignant and rather aggressive neoplasms, which warranted prior anti-tumor therapy. Systemic chemotherapy and radiotherapy to the neuroaxis provided in survivors of childhood cancers have been shown to dramatically increase the risk of meningioma [ 6 , 12 ]. In our series, two patients were receiving CNS axis radiation as a treatment for the malignancy other than meningioma; the remaining patients had no radiation of the skull and neck area.…”

“…The overwhelming majority of meningiomas are considered to be sporadic. However, factors such as past medical history of tumors other than meningioma (including glioma, acute lymphocytic leukemia, prostate cancer, papillary carcinoma of the thyroid, uterus myomas, and endometriosis) but also cranial irradiation or hereditary cancer syndromes like neurofibromatosis types 1 and 2, Turner’s syndrome, and Werner’s syndrome may predispose for meningioma formation [ 2 , 5 , 7 , 12 , 13 , 24 , 28 ]. Similarly, within vestibular schwannomas, a shortened time to progression was observed within patients harboring an unrelated tumor disease [ 27 ].…”

Risk of second brain tumour after radiotherapy for pituitary adenoma or craniopharyngioma: a retrospective, multicentre, cohort study of 3679 patients with long-term imaging surveillance

“…11 Notably, reports based on the US Surveillance, Epidemiology and Results (known as SEER) cancer registries, suggest that there is an increased risk of a second brain tumour, but this is seen in both irradiated and non-irradiated adult patients compared with the general population. 12 Studies investigating the risk of second brain tumours in cohorts of irradiated patients with pituitary adenomas or craniopharyngiomas specifically have yielded discordant outcomes; thus, some have suggested an increased risk of a second brain tumour, [13][14][15][16][17][18] whereas others could not confirm this finding. [19][20][21][22][23] The reasons for such disparity can in part be attributed to the low incidence of second brain tumours, the considerable follow-up period required given the tumour latency after radiotherapy, and to differences in study design and methodology.…”