Is the survival rate of brain tumor high? What factors are related to it?

Brain tumors are one of the more common tumors nowadays. They can be divided into benign and malignant types. Therefore, the survival rate of brain tumors is not a fixed value. It is determined by many factors. Let us now take a closer look at the factors that affect the survival rate of brain tumors!

A brain tumor is an abnormal growth of brain cells. Some tumors are malignant (cancer), while others are benign (noncancerous). Brain cancer can be basically divided into two types: primary brain tumors, where cells grow precisely in the brain, and secondary brain cancers, which start somewhere else in the body and eventually metastasize to the brain. Symptoms of a brain tumor range from sleepiness and confusion to more serious seizures and behavioral changes. Primary brain tumors include ependymoma, medulloblastoma, and neuroblastoma, while secondary brain tumors include lung cancer and breast cancer metastasis. It is almost impossible to completely cure this cancer, but some treatments can improve quality of life.

Brain cancer survival rates

The average survival rate for brain cancer patients is only 1-2 years. The overall stage 4 brain cancer survival rate is approximately 33%, and the average life expectancy after diagnosis ranges from 6 months to 1 year. Importantly, patients with benign brain tumors have a higher survival rate than those with malignant tumors. Several factors determine whether a person survives, including:

Types of Brain Cancer

The size and location of the tumor

Stages of cancer

Cancer grade

Patient health status

The earlier the disease is diagnosed, the higher the chances of survival. Among different cancers, the 5-year survival rate of brain cancer ranks sixth in the world at 33%. The following are the survival rates for brain tumors at different ages:

Age survival rate (%)

<14:73

14–44:55

45–64:16

>65：5

From the above table, we can see that the survival rate decreases gradually with age. Children have a 70-80% survival rate for brain cancer if it has not spread and can be removed surgically. But if the cancer spreads to other parts of the body, the survival rate drops to 30-40%. This means that children have relatively the highest survival rate.

Cancer cells are very resilient and will recur once a trigger appears. Therefore, everyone should develop good living and eating habits after surgery, get more rest, exercise appropriately, and eat more nutritious food.