Risk Factors
When you're told that you have a brain tumor, it's
natural to wonder what may have caused your disease.
But no one knows the exact causes of brain tumors.
Doctors seldom know why one person develops a brain
tumor and another doesn't.
Researchers are studying whether people with
certain
risk factors are more likely than others to
develop a brain tumor. A risk factor is something that
may increase the chance of getting a disease.
Studies have found the following risk factors for
brain tumors:
- Ionizing radiation: Ionizing radiation from high dose
x-rays (such as radiation therapy from a large
machine aimed at the head) and other sources can
cause cell damage that leads to a tumor. People
exposed to ionizing radiation may have an increased
risk of a brain tumor, such as meningioma or
glioma.
- Family history: It is rare for brain tumors to run in
a family. Only a very small number of families have
several members with brain tumors.
Researchers are studying whether using cell phones,
having had a head injury, or having been exposed to
certain chemicals at work or to magnetic fields are
important risk factors. Studies have not shown
consistent links between these possible risk factors and
brain tumors, but additional research is needed.
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