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There's much we still don't know about brain cancer, and there's also misinformation about this uncommon disease. Here are just the facts about brain tumors.

• Approximately 44,000 Americans were diagnosed with a glioma in 2015.
• Over 15,000 people in the United States die each year from malignant brain tumors, the majority of which are gliomas.
• There are many types of gliomas, usually named after the kind of cell from which they grow, including: astrocytoma, oligodendroglioma, ependymomas, and glioblastoma multiforme (GBM).
• Gliomas occur more frequently in Caucasian individuals than people of other races, and glioblastoma multiforme is more common in men than women
• Few known risk factors make individuals more likely to develop brain tumors. Some of the identified risks include neurofibromatosis (type 1 and 2), Li-Fraumeni syndrome, Turcot's syndrome, and ionizing radiation to the head.
• Gliomas may run in families. Approximately 5 to 10 percent of gliomas may be related to inherited gene mutations. First-degree relatives (siblings, parents, children) of glioma patients have about twice the risk of developing glioma.

Participants in Gliogene are contributing directly to research allowing scientists and clinicians to identify genes that lead to brain cancer, develop effective prevention strategies, and identify people who may be at increased risk. Read the academic publications that arose directly from Gliogene.