Major causes of Astrocytoma cancer are still unknown. Most people with brain cancer have no known risk factors.  The risk factors that do exist include:

• Radiation – Radiation to the head and jobs in the nuclear industry have been linked to an increase in brain cancer.

• Environmental – Exposure to vinyl chloride and acrylonitrile may increase the risk for brain cancer. 

• Family history – A small percent of people have a genetic mutation that increases their risk for brain cancer.

A risk factor is anything that increases a person’s chance of developing a disease, including cancer. There are risk factors that can be controlled, such as smoking, and risk factors that cannot be controlled, such as age and family history. Although risk factors can influence disease, for many risk factors it is not known whether they actually cause the disease directly. Some people with several risk factors never develop the disease, while others with no known risk factors do.

Doctors and researchers don’t know what causes most childhood cancers. Some evidence indicates that genetic factors may play a role in a small percentage of cerebral astrocytoma cases. For example, children who have neurofibromatosis may have an increased risk of developing astrocytoma. Neurofibromatosis is an inherited disorder that causes neurofibromas (benign tumors) to form on peripheral nerves in the body, brown spots on the skin, and deformities of tissues and bones. Neurofibromatosis is also called

Share This