BRAIN TUMOR

Risk Factors

Doctors don't know exactly what causes primary brain tumors, so it's difficult to pinpoint risk factors. Brain tumors sometimes strike several members of a family, suggesting heredity may be a risk factor. However, recent studies suggest that this influence is small.

Some studies show that some types of brain tumors occur more frequently in people who work in the oil-refining, rubber-manufacturing, chemical and nuclear industries. But a definite link between exposure to chemicals and brain tumors hasn't been proven. Similarly, electromagnetic fields and the use of cellular phones have been studied as a cause of primary brain tumors. But no definitive medical evidence indicates that either causes brain tumors.

Head injuries aren't believed to increase the risk of developing a brain tumor.