International incidence of central nervous system tumors in children.

A study of the descriptive epidemiology of central nervous system tumors in children aged 0-14 was undertaken using international incidence data referred to the period 1970-1984. The median incidence rates were found to be 23 per million for males and 19 per million for females. The median cumulative incidence rates were found to be 341 per million for males and 296 per million for females. Males had incidence rates that were about 20 per cent higher than those for females. Variation in incidence rates by age, sex, race, and geographic area are discussed. Data on possible genetic and environmental risk factors for these tumors are reviewed.