After decades of grim statistics, the most ruthless cancer you’ve never worried about—central nervous system (CNS) cancer—has quietly stopped growing more common.
Quick Take
- CNS cancer incidence in the US has plateaued, reversing a decades-long increase.
- Mortality rates are falling, particularly among children and younger adults.
- Medical advances and improved detection drive these positive trends.
- Disparities and aggressive tumor types remain significant challenges.
Stabilization of CNS Cancer Rates: A New Era
From 1990 to 2010, Americans faced a slow but steady rise in CNS cancer diagnoses and deaths, a trend fueled by improved imaging and more vigilant detection. By the 2010s, something remarkable happened—new cases stopped climbing, and the death rate began to fall. The most recent data from SEER and CDC confirm that, for the first time in modern history, CNS cancer rates have stabilized, and the mortality curve is bending downward.
The statistics are hard-won: the age-adjusted incidence rate for brain and nervous system cancers now sits at 6.1 per 100,000 per year, while the death rate has slipped to 4.4 per 100,000. In 2025, projections estimate 24,820 new cases and 18,330 deaths—a sobering tally, yet one that represents real progress compared to past decades. Behind these numbers lie thousands of stories of survival and loss, and a health system learning to adapt to new realities.
While incidence rates for central nervous system cancer remained stable from 1990 to 2021, both mortality and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) declined. https://t.co/1lhjl3inQj pic.twitter.com/9EMSfYMBb0
— JAMA Neurology (@JAMANeuro) November 3, 2025
The Drivers Behind Declining Deaths
Advances in diagnosis, surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy have upended the prognosis of CNS cancers. Widespread use of MRI and CT scans since the 1980s has enabled earlier, more accurate detection. Cutting-edge neurosurgical techniques and targeted radiotherapy have increased the odds of survival for many, while new chemotherapy agents and supportive care protocols help patients endure aggressive treatment regimens. National cancer registries—SEER, CDC NPCR, CBTRUS—now provide granular tracking of CNS tumor patterns, enabling researchers to spot trends and tailor interventions for the populations most at risk.
Watch: The role of the CNS – National Cancer CNS Day 2025 – YouTube
Challenges Persist: Disparities and Unmet Needs
The picture is not uniformly bright. Disparities in outcomes by race, income, and geography persist, with some populations lagging behind in access to early detection and advanced therapies. Rural patients and communities of color often face delayed diagnoses and limited treatment options—a gap that national registries are only beginning to address. Survivorship brings its own burdens: cognitive, neurological, and psychosocial issues are common among those who beat the odds, increasing demand for specialized support services.
The Road Ahead: Hope and Uncertainty
Looking forward, the outlook for CNS cancer patients is cautiously hopeful. Experts point to the promise of immunotherapy, molecularly targeted agents, and precision medicine approaches as the next frontier. Clinical trial participation continues to grow, bringing new hope to families for whom a diagnosis once meant a death sentence. However, with 187,162 Americans currently living with brain and nervous system cancer, the fight is far from over. Continued investment in research, patient advocacy, and equitable access remains essential to sustain the momentum and address the stubborn outliers in mortality and quality of life.
Sources:
ACS Cancer Facts & Figures 2025
Peer-reviewed studies on CNS cancer trends and mortality
SEER Cancer Stat Facts: Brain and Other Nervous System Cancer
CBTRUS Fact Sheet 2025
Siegel RL et al., Cancer statistics, 2025
Peer-reviewed studies on CNS cancer trends and mortality
CDC U.S. Cancer Statistics Highlights 2025
Peer-reviewed studies on CNS cancer trends and mortality
