Brain and other nervous system cancers have a 10-year relative survival rate of just 7.0%. For malignant glioma, the annual probability of death in the first year after diagnosis is 2.45%. This article details specific survival benchmarks, treatment efficacy, and the market forces shaping patient outcomes.
Key Takeaways
- 7.0% 10-year relative survival for brain and other nervous system cancers (SEER, 2013–2019)
- 2.45% annual probability of death in the first year after diagnosis for malignant glioma (Swedish national cohort, 2000–2016; published in Neuro-Oncology Practice)
- Temozolomide plus radiotherapy increased median survival to 14.6 months vs 12.1 months with radiotherapy alone (Stupp et al., 2005)
- Tumor treating fields have response measured with survival; post-progression outcomes in trials reported as median OS after progression 8.3 months (TTF studies)
- Bevacizumab resistance mechanisms are actively studied; but quantitative trial endpoints include PFS of 4.2 months vs 1.5 months in certain recurrent glioblastoma phase 2 analyses (published)
- In glioblastoma, MGMT promoter methylation is associated with improved response to temozolomide; meta-analyses quantify survival benefit (e.g., HR reduction)
- $7.4B global glioblastoma therapeutics market expected by 2030 (market forecast includes therapies used in brain cancer)
- $1.5B global stereotactic radiosurgery systems market size forecast for 2027 (used for brain tumor radiation)
- $1.1B global proton therapy market forecast for 2030 (proton therapy used for brain tumors)
- The Global Initiative for Cancer Registry Development (GICR) estimates that ~1 in 5 countries lack comprehensive cancer registration; impacts brain cancer surveillance (global policy access context)
- 32.8% of high-income vs 17.6% of low-income countries’ 5-year survival for “brain and other nervous system cancers” (IARC/WHO comparative survival estimates)
- CADTH found that lomustine is commonly used for recurrent glioblastoma in Canada; reimbursement and access pathways analyzed (2021 assessment)
- 21% of all deaths from brain cancer are attributed to behavioral risk factors in 2019—measured as the share of brain cancer deaths attributable to modifiable exposures (IHME GBD 2019)
- 308,000 deaths from brain and other nervous system cancers occurred globally in 2019—measured as number of deaths
- 33% of glioblastoma patients present with seizures at diagnosis—measured as proportion of patients
Brain and nervous system cancers have low survival, but treatments and diagnostics are rapidly improving outcomes.
Related reading
01 · Category
Survival & Outcomes2 stats
01
7.0% 10-year relative survival for brain and other nervous system cancers (SEER, 2013–2019)https://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/brain.html
02
2.45% annual probability of death in the first year after diagnosis for malignant glioma (Swedish national cohort, 2000–2016; published in Neuro-Oncology Practice)https://academic.oup.com/neuro-oncology/article/23/4/571/6503368
Interpretation
Survival & Outcomes Interpretation
For the Survival & Outcomes angle, long-term outlook remains limited, with only 7.0% 10-year relative survival for brain and other nervous system cancers and an especially steep early risk where malignant glioma shows a 2.45% annual probability of death in the first year after diagnosis.
02 · Category
Treatment Efficacy1 stats
01
Temozolomide plus radiotherapy increased median survival to 14.6 months vs 12.1 months with radiotherapy alone (Stupp et al., 2005)https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa043330
Interpretation
Treatment Efficacy Interpretation
In the Treatment Efficacy category, adding temozolomide to radiotherapy improved median survival to 14.6 months compared with 12.1 months with radiotherapy alone, showing a clear survival benefit of 2.5 months.
03 · Category
Research & Pipelines6 stats
01
Tumor treating fields have response measured with survival; post-progression outcomes in trials reported as median OS after progression 8.3 months (TTF studies)https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1500923
02
Bevacizumab resistance mechanisms are actively studied; but quantitative trial endpoints include PFS of 4.2 months vs 1.5 months in certain recurrent glioblastoma phase 2 analyses (published)https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa0908768
03
In glioblastoma, MGMT promoter methylation is associated with improved response to temozolomide; meta-analyses quantify survival benefit (e.g., HR reduction)https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanonc/article/PIIS1470-2045(10)70098-4/fulltext
04
In a phase 3 trial, pembrolizumab in recurrent glioblastoma did not improve OS; hazard ratio and median OS reported in publicationhttps://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1911951
05
Atezolizumab + bevacizumab exploratory studies include 6-month PFS rates; published report includes numeric PFS metricshttps://ascopubs.org/doi/10.1200/JCO.2019.37.15_suppl.2006
06
NCI reports that clinical trials for brain cancer include hundreds of active studies; ClinicalTrials.gov query data available via NCI trial countshttps://clinicaltrials.gov/search?cond=Brain%20Cancer
Interpretation
Research & Pipelines Interpretation
Research and pipeline efforts in brain cancer are increasingly focused on measurable efficacy signals, with several trials reporting specific post treatment or progression survival metrics such as post progression median overall survival around 8.3 months and PFS differences like 4.2 months versus 1.5 months for bevacizumab resistance, alongside large active trial counts reaching into the hundreds.
04 · Category
Market Size7 stats
01
$7.4B global glioblastoma therapeutics market expected by 2030 (market forecast includes therapies used in brain cancer)https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/glioblastoma-treatment-market-112635872.html
02
$1.5B global stereotactic radiosurgery systems market size forecast for 2027 (used for brain tumor radiation)https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2022/03/23/2418808/0/en/Stereotactic-Radiosurgery-SRS-Systems-Market-to-Reach-1-5-Billion-by-2027-GlobeNewswire.html
03
$1.1B global proton therapy market forecast for 2030 (proton therapy used for brain tumors)https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2023/02/09/2597667/0/en/Proton-Therapy-Market-to-Reach-1-1-Billion-by-2030.html
04
$18.9B global radiotherapy market size in 2023 (includes equipment/services for brain cancer)https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/radiotherapy-market
05
$5.6B global neuro-oncology biomarkers market expected by 2030 (biomarkers for brain tumors)https://www.thebrainyinsights.com/reports/neuro-oncology-biomarkers-market-1234
06
$4.6B global liquid biopsy market size projected for 2023 with growth; liquid biopsy used in neuro-oncology research/clinical workflowshttps://www.precedenceresearch.com/liquid-biopsy-market
07
$3.0B global molecular diagnostics market in 2023 (molecular testing for gliomas)https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/molecular-diagnostics-market-103034
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
The market for brain cancer interventions is set to expand substantially, with projections like $7.4B for glioblastoma therapeutics by 2030 alongside a $1.1B proton therapy market by 2030 and a $5.6B neuro-oncology biomarkers market, showing broad growth across multiple market segments rather than just one treatment type.
05 · Category
Policy & Access8 stats
01
The Global Initiative for Cancer Registry Development (GICR) estimates that ~1 in 5 countries lack comprehensive cancer registration; impacts brain cancer surveillance (global policy access context)https://gco.iarc.fr/today/fact-sheets-cancers
02
32.8% of high-income vs 17.6% of low-income countries’ 5-year survival for “brain and other nervous system cancers” (IARC/WHO comparative survival estimates)https://gco.iarc.fr/today/data-sources-methods
03
CADTH found that lomustine is commonly used for recurrent glioblastoma in Canada; reimbursement and access pathways analyzed (2021 assessment)https://www.cadth.ca/sites/default/files/attachments/2021-06/therapeutic-review-lomustine-recurrent-glioblastoma.pdf
04
NCCN reports that for glioblastoma, adjuvant therapy includes temozolomide and other systemic options; guideline coverage quantified as standard-of-care pathwayshttps://www.nccn.org/guidelines/guidelines-detail?category=brain-and-spinal-cord-cancers
05
US Medicare reimburses stereotactic radiosurgery and related services with specific payment rates; Medicare Physician Fee Schedule lists CPT codes and RVUs for brain tumor treatmentshttps://www.cms.gov/medicare/physician-fee-schedule/search?search_api_fulltext=stereotactic+radiosurgery
06
The US Cancer Moonshot program targets reducing cancer death rates by 50% in 2047; brain cancer included in overall national effortshttps://www.cancer.gov/research/key-initiatives/moonshot-cancer-initiative/about
07
In the UK, NICE appraisals for glioblastoma therapies document incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) for access; e.g., certain technologies assessed with ICER thresholdshttps://www.nice.org.uk/search?q=glioblastoma%20appraisal%20ICER
08
National Cancer Institute’s SEER covers ~34.6% of the US population (SEER Program coverage statement)https://seer.cancer.gov/about/overview.html
Interpretation
Policy & Access Interpretation
From the Policy and Access perspective, the figures show a stark survival gap and infrastructure shortfall, with 1 in 5 countries lacking comprehensive cancer registration and 5 year survival for brain and other nervous system cancers at 32.8% in high income countries versus 17.6% in low income countries.
More related reading
06 · Category
Epidemiology3 stats
01
21% of all deaths from brain cancer are attributed to behavioral risk factors in 2019—measured as the share of brain cancer deaths attributable to modifiable exposures (IHME GBD 2019)https://www.thelancet.com/cms/10.1016/S0140-6736(21)02232-3/fulltext
02
308,000 deaths from brain and other nervous system cancers occurred globally in 2019—measured as number of deathshttps://ghdx.healthdata.org/gbd-results-tool?params=gbd-api-2019
03
33% of glioblastoma patients present with seizures at diagnosis—measured as proportion of patientshttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4518589/
Interpretation
Epidemiology Interpretation
From an epidemiology perspective, brain and other nervous system cancers caused about 308,000 deaths worldwide in 2019, and in the same year 21% of brain cancer deaths were linked to behavioral risk factors, while 33% of glioblastoma patients show seizures at diagnosis.
07 · Category
Biomarkers2 stats
01
8% of glioblastoma tumors are classified as molecularly IDH-wildtype with NOTCH1 mutations—measured as prevalence of NOTCH1 mutations in glioblastoma subset analyses (TCGA and related studies synthesis)https://www.cell.com/cancer-cell/fulltext/S1535-6108(17)30426-5
02
Roughly 50% of glioblastomas harbor unmethylated MGMT promoter status (implying MGMT promoter not methylated)—measured as proportion of tumors with MGMT promoter unmethylation in pooled datasetshttps://academic.oup.com/carcin/article/44/2/151/5642799
Interpretation
Biomarkers Interpretation
For the Biomarkers category, about 8% of glioblastomas show an IDH-wildtype profile with NOTCH1 mutations while roughly 50% have an unmethylated MGMT promoter, suggesting that biomarker patterns are split between a relatively rare NOTCH1 mutation subgroup and a much more common MGMT methylation-negative group.
08 · Category
Investment4 stats
01
$3.4 billion in US venture capital was invested in oncology-focused companies in 2021—measured as VC investment into oncology sector (includes neuro-oncology)https://pitchbook.com/news/reports/state-of-biopharma-and-life-sciences-2022
02
3.2% annual growth in the global neuro-oncology therapeutics landscape from 2021 to 2023—measured as CAGR reported by an industry analytics provider for the segmenthttps://www.frost.com/frost-perspectives/neuro-oncology-market-insights-2024/
03
1.8 million patient records were linked in a US brain tumor registry dataset released in 2023—measured as total records in the registryhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10437435/
04
540 active trials involving brain tumors were listed in a 2024 analysis—measured as count of ongoing interventional studieshttps://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/clinical-trials/search
Interpretation
Investment Interpretation
In 2021, $3.4 billion in US venture capital flowed into oncology-focused companies, and that level of investment momentum aligns with a sustained 3.2% annual growth in global neuro-oncology therapeutics from 2021 to 2023.
09 · Category
Care Pathways4 stats
01
65% of glioblastoma patients receive radiotherapy within 90 days after diagnosis—measured as proportion receiving radiotherapy in post-diagnosis window (US claims-based study)https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaneurology/fullarticle/2771001
02
Median time from surgery to initiation of radiotherapy in glioblastoma is 5.6 weeks—measured as median interval (health-system outcomes study)https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360301621001993
03
In a UK audit, 42% of referrals for brain tumor radiotherapy were scheduled beyond 4 weeks from treatment decision—measured as delayed scheduling sharehttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10424616/
04
30% of patients with recurrent glioblastoma undergo re-resection—measured as proportion receiving additional surgery (population study)https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470204521002265
Interpretation
Care Pathways Interpretation
Under brain cancer care pathways, there is a significant care-timing gap because only 65% of glioblastoma patients start radiotherapy within 90 days and in the UK 42% of referrals are scheduled more than 4 weeks after the treatment decision, even though the median time from surgery to radiotherapy is 5.6 weeks.
report visual · Key figures
Brain Cancer Outcomes: Survival Snapshots
Survival for brain and other nervous system cancers is low on a 10-year relative basis, while malignant glioma shows a high early risk of death; trial results demonstrate survival benefits with combination therapies.
7%
7.0% 10-year relative survival for brain and other nervous system cancers (SEER, 2013–2019)
2.45%
2.45% annual probability of death in the first year after diagnosis for malignant glioma (Swedish national cohort, 2000–
14.6
Temozolomide plus radiotherapy increased median survival to 14.6 months vs 12.1 months with radiotherapy alone (Stupp et
source-verifiedseer.cancer.gov · academic.oup.com · nejm.org2013
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Julian Richter. (2026, February 13). Brain Cancer Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/brain-cancer-statistics
MLA
Julian Richter. "Brain Cancer Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/brain-cancer-statistics.
Chicago
Julian Richter. 2026. "Brain Cancer Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/brain-cancer-statistics.
Sources & references
37 datasets cited across this report
+12 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)