Recent research from the US suggests that suffering a significant head injury could increase the likelihood of developing a malignant brain tumour later in life.
While factors like age, obesity, and exposure to radiation from x-rays or CT scans have long been linked to brain tumours, this study adds another layer of concern for adults who have experienced traumatic brain injuries (TBIs).
Moderate and Severe Injuries Pose a Risk
The study tracked 150,000 adults who had none of the traditional risk factors.
Researchers found that those who had suffered moderate or severe TBIs—such as from falls or car accidents—were significantly more likely to develop a malignant brain tumour, a type of cancer that either starts in the brain or spreads there from another area.
Mild TBIs, such as concussions, were not associated with an increased risk.
Experts Urge Long-Term Monitoring
Dr Saef Izzy, a neurologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and co-author of the study, described the findings as “alarming.”
He stressed that TBIs should be treated as chronic conditions with lasting consequences, not just short-term injuries.
“Now evidence of a potential increased risk of malignant brain tumours adds urgency to shift the focus from short-term recovery to lifelong vigilance,” he said.
Dr Sandro Marini, also a study co-author, added that while the overall risk remains low, malignant brain tumours are devastating and often detected late.
“We’ve opened the door to monitor TBI patients more closely,” he said.
How the Study Was Conducted
The research divided 75,000 adults with a history of TBI into three categories: mild, moderate, and severe.
Mild injuries included concussions, while moderate and severe injuries were mainly from falls and car crashes.
The remaining 75,000 participants had no history of TBIs.
Within three to five years, 87 individuals in the moderate or severe groups developed brain tumours—a rate far higher than those in the mild or control groups.
Understanding Malignant Brain Tumours
Each year, around 5,800 people in the UK and 25,000 in the US are diagnosed with malignant brain tumours.
Adult gliomas, such as glioblastoma, are the most common type.
Glioblastomas are aggressive and deadly, typically treated with surgery followed by chemotherapy and radiotherapy, similar to treatment approaches from the early 2000s.
Common symptoms include headaches, seizures, nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, memory issues, personality changes, vision or speech problems, weakness or paralysis on one side of the body, and behavioural changes.
Average survival for glioblastoma is between 12 and 18 months, with only around 5% of patients surviving five years.
Remembering Those Lost to Brain Tumours
Malignant brain tumours have claimed the lives of notable figures, including Labour politician Dame Tessa Jowell in 2018 and singer Tom Parker of The Wanted in 2022, who battled stage four glioblastoma for 18 months.
The findings highlight the importance of long-term vigilance for anyone with a history of traumatic brain injury, and may influence how doctors monitor and support patients in the years following significant head trauma.
