Epidemiology of childhood brain tumors in Japan

Using the vital statistics issued annually by the Japanese Government from 1960 to 1994, the mortality of brain tumors during childhood (0-14 years of age) in Japan was estimated. Since there are few nationwide registries of childhood cancers with a sufficiently high registration rate, the incidence of brain tumors was calculated using the Registry of Childhood Malignancie s in Hokkaido Prefecture from 1969 to 1996. Though the mortality due to mal ignant diseases as a whole during childhood has been decreasing, and though there should be progress in therapeutic methods, the mortality due to brai n tumors in children has been increasing. The incidence of brain tumors in Hokkaido Prefecture has been increasing as well. There was no tendency for the incidence of medulloblastoma to decrease. The incidence of childhood br ain tumors has been increasing in Japan, though the cause is unknown. The p eriod of the present study corresponded to a period of high economic growth . Thus, a study on environmental factors would be interesting.