brainstrust events

Our Thrive with brainstrust events will help you live better with a brain tumour. Below you can find information about upcoming webinars and meetups, both online and face-to-face. Filter by Patient and Carer events to see what’s happening this month. If you have any questions about our supportive events or would like to book a coaching session, please email hello@brainstrust.org.uk

You can also browse our calendar of upcoming fundraising events and campaigns. For the latest information about races and challenges, please keep in contact with event organisers or email fundraising@brainstrust.org.uk

Running events by region – brainstrust would love you to support the charity by taking on a challenge for us.  See what events are available in your region and do something amazing today!

  • All Events
  • Fundraising Events
  • Patient & Carer Events
July 1st, 2025

Cure51 x brainstrust: Join the Rosalind Study (Cancer Survivor Focus Group) – Tues 1st July 2.00pm

The Rosalind Study is a pioneering international research project led by Cure51, exploring the biology of Super Survivors of aggressive cancers like glioblastoma, small cell lung cancer, and pancreatic cancer. We’re honoured to support this effort by helping connect Cure51 with members of the brainstrust community, to listen to their stories and learn from their […]

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July 1st, 2025

Come Along for Tea & a Wee Blether – Monthly Online Meetup, Tues 1st July 12.00

Grab a cuppa and join us for tea and a wee blether! This is your chance to meet, chat, and connect with others in our community. It’s for anyone affected by a brain tumour diagnosis, and just like our face-to-face meetups, it’s a warm, welcoming, and safe space for you. There’s no agenda – just an open […]

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July 2nd, 2025

Art Time: A Space to Express, Connect and Belong -Weds 2nd July 10.30am

Come and join us for Art Time – whether you’re a seasoned artist or a complete novice, this is a gentle two-hour session to explore how painting can become a mindful, soothing activity. As you focus on the creative process, you may find stresses and worries begin to fade into the background.

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July 2nd, 2025

Neuroscience-Informed Hypnotherapy – Weds 2nd July 2.00pm

Whether you’re a patient or caregiver,newly diagnosed or navigating ongoing treatment, this workshop offers valuable insights and strategies to enhance your well-being and quality of life. And you will connect with others who share your experience, creating a network of support and understanding. Our sessions are open to brain tumour patients and caregivers only and […]

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July 3rd, 2025

High Grade Brain Tumour Community – Thurs 3rd July 13.00

This informal online group is for people living with a high grade (grade 3 or 4) brain tumour diagnosis – and their supporters. There’s no set agenda and no pressure to talk. Just join us for a relaxed space to connect with others who truly understand what you’re going through. Whether you feel like sharing […]

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July 4th, 2025

Acoustic Neuroma (Vestibular Schwannoma) Group – Fri July 4th 1.00pm

Living with an acoustic neuroma can feel overwhelming at times, and it helps to talk to others who truly understand. This is a friendly, informal online space where you can connect, share experiences, or simply listen in. Whether you’re newly diagnosed or further along in your journey, you’re welcome.

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July 10th, 2025

Living with a low grade glioma – 10th July 16.00

Living with a low grade glioma brain tumour brings about its own challenges. Not only do you have to live with the symptoms that these tumours can bring (epilepsy has a high prevalence rate) but also the uncertain trajectory of a low grade glioma. By low grade we mean grade 2 tumours, and those that are […]

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July 10th, 2025

Exploring New Drug Targets in High Grade Glioma – Online Focus Group July 10th 2.00pm

Dr Phoebe McCrorie is exploring a novel approach for identifying drug targets in high grade glioma. She is using a compound called 5-ALA, which causes malignant glioma cells to fluoresce under specific lighting conditions. This helps distinguish tumour cells from healthy brain tissue and allows her to identify proteins that are uniquely present in cancer […]

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July 16th, 2025

brainstrust bereavement community – Weds 16th July 7.00pm

We know that a death caused by a brain tumour is different. The uniqueness and changes that come from dying of brain tumour mean that bereavement begins before the point of death. Whilst it is normal to mourn these changes, expressing this loss can be difficult while their loved one is living, and people often […]

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July 17th, 2025

Living with metastatic brain cancer? – Thurs 17th July 2.00pm

Living with metastatic brain cancer? Welcome to our online event where we come together to share stories, offer support, and provide resources for those living with metastatic brain cancer. Join us for informative discussions, Q&A sessions with experts, and connect with others who understand what you’re going through. Whether you’re a patient or a caregiver, […]

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July 18th, 2025

Meningioma Matters – Fri 18th July 1.00pm

We know how hard it can be to live with a meningioma – whether you’re a patient or a caregiver. This space is for you. Join us for a gentle, open conversation with others who truly understand. Share how you’re getting on, talk about what you’re finding difficult, or just listen in. There’s no pressure and […]

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July 20th, 2025

Birmingham Running Festival 5k/10/Half – 2025

Join team brainstrust’s mission to help people with a brain tumour at one of the events at the Birmingham Running Festival. Join us for a unique opportunity to run a 5k, 10k or Half Marathon around the beautiful Sutton Park, a 2,400 acre National Nature Reserve in Birmingham. You can take on either of the […]

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July 25th, 2025

Colloid Cyst Community – July Online Meetup: Fri 25th July 1.00pm

A colloid cyst diagnosis can feel isolating, and accessing reliable information or support isn’t always straightforward. This informal online gathering is a space to connect with others who truly understand. Whether you’re living with a cyst yourself or supporting someone who is, you’re warmly invited to join us. There’s no set agenda – just the […]

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July 27th, 2025

Hillsborough Castle 10k 2025

Join team brainstrust’s mission to help people with a brain tumour at the Hillsborough Castle 10k.  This ROAD CLOSED race will start and finish within the beautiful Grounds of Hillsborough Castle, before heading out onto the surrounding rural roads of Hillsborough and taking in historic attractions in the local area such as Hillsborough Fort and […]

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July 27th, 2025

Hillsborough Castle Half Marathon 2025

Join team brainstrust’s mission to help people with a brain tumour at the Hillsborough Castle Half Marathon.  These ROAD CLOSED races will start and finish within the beautiful Grounds of Hillsborough Castle, before heading out onto the surrounding rural roads of Hillsborough and taking in historic attractions in the local area such as Hillsborough Fort […]

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July 30th, 2025

Calmness & confidence: hypnotherapy workshop – Weds July 30th 7.00pm

This workshop will bring you to the forefront of your life, harnessing the power of neuroscience-informed techniques to anchor you in a state of serene self-assurance.

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July 31st, 2025

High grade knowledge share – Thurs July 31st 11.00am

This event is for anyone with a grade 3 or 4 brain tumour who wants more information about treatments that sit outside the NHS protocol. This includes grade 3 astrocytomas, grade 4 glioblastoma, midline gliomas. This is a great group where you can ask about anything related to unproven, innovative and adaptive treatments. This may […]

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August 3rd, 2025

York 10k

Join team brainstrust’s mission to help people with a brain tumour at this fast, flat, PB potential 10k. Running since 2009, the York 10k has been described as one of the country’s most beautiful city runs and Yorkshire’s most popular 10k. 5000 runners took part in 2024, will you join them in 2025? Closing date for registrations […]

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August 17th, 2025

Leeds Running Festival – 10k / Half 2025

Join team brainstrust’s mission to help people with a brain tumour at the Leeds Running Festival. Join us for a unique opportunity to run a  10k or Half Marathon around Roundhay Park in Leeds, one of the biggest city parks in Europe. Each Mile will be accurately marked out and we have plenty of helpers to keep […]

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August 17th, 2025

Scottish 10k 2025

Join team brainstrust’s mission to help people with a brain tumour at the Scottish 10k. The Scottish 10K is the ultimate running experience combining fast, flat routes with a stunning view of East Lothian’s Golf Coast – come and be a part of it! The route is seriously flat & rapid – if you want to […]

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August 17th, 2025

Scottish Half Marathon 2025

Join team brainstrust’s mission to help people with a brain tumour at the Scottish Half Marathon. Get ready for the ultimate running event, with the combination of flat roads and the most stunning views of the East Lothian Coast, what are you waiting for?  The Scottish Half Marathon is seriously smooth & rapid – which is great […]

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August 17th, 2025

Scottish Half 2025

Join team brainstrust’s mission to help those with a brain tumour at the Scottish Half 2025. Get ready for the ultimate running event, with the combination of flat roads and the most stunning views of the East Lothian Coast, what are you waiting for?  The Scottish Half Marathon is seriously smooth & rapid – which is great […]

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August 17th, 2025

Scottish 10k 2025

Join team brainstrust’s mission to help those with a brain tumour at the Scottish 10k. The Scottish 10K is the ultimate running experience combining fast, flat routes with a stunning view of East Lothian’s Golf Coast – come and be a part of it! The route is seriously flat & rapid – if you want to […]

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August 17th, 2025

Scottish 10k

Join team brainstrust’s mission to help people with a brain tumour at this seriously fast, flat and PB potential 10k. The race will start just outside Edinburgh and finishes at Musselburgh Racecourse, Scotland’s oldest racecourse.

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August 17th, 2025

Scottish Half Marathon

Join team brainstrust’s mission to help people with a brain tumour at this seriously flat and rapid half marathon. Starting just outside Edinburgh, you will run along the magnificent East Lothian Golf Coast before finishing in the final furlong at Musselburgh Racecourse, Scotland’s oldest racecourse.

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August 31st, 2025

Southampton Running Festival – 5k/10k/Half 2025

Join team brainstrust’s mission to help people with a brain tumour at the Southampton Running Festival. Choose between the 5k, 10k or Half Marathon distance. Join us for the first Southampton Running Festival beginning and ending in the picturesque Southampton Common. It’s the perfect route for a PB featuring woodland, grassland, ponds, wetlands, lakes and parkland […]

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September 7th, 2025

Run Thorpe Park 5km 2025

Join team brainstrust’s mission to help people with a brain tumour at the ‘fun for all the family’ Run Thorpe Park 5km  challenge   around the rides and rollercoasters inside the fantastic THORPE PARK Resort and be first in line to enjoy everything the Resort has to offer. Following the race, you will be able to make […]

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September 7th, 2025

Run Thorpe Park 10k 2025

Join team brainstrust’s mission to help people with a brain tumour at the Run Thorpe Park 10k.  Run a  10k around the rides and rollercoasters inside the fantastic THORPE PARK Resort and be first in line to enjoy everything the Resort has to offer. Following the race, you will be able to make full use […]

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September 21st, 2025

Ipswich Half Marathon

Join team brainstrust’s mission to help all people with a brain tumour at the Ipswich Half. The race will start and finish at Portman Road Stadium – home to Ipswich Town FC. You will see runners heading down Duke Street, through Ipswich Waterfront and then along Cliff Lane. Continuing around the River Orwell, you will head to […]

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September 28th, 2025

Sheffield 10k 2025

Join team brainstrust’s mission to help all those with a brain tumour at the Sheffield 10k. Staged in partnership with Sheffield City Council, the Asda Foundation Sheffield 10K is set right in the heart of South Yorkshire’s famous Steel City. A fantastic atmosphere is always generated by the enthusiastic local support. Thousands took part last yearand it’s […]

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September 28th, 2025

Robin Hood Half Marathon 2025

Join team brainstrust’s mission to help people with a brain tumour at this well established  half marathon event which is being held for the 45th time in 2025. This one loop half marathon course now attracts over 9,000 runners. The Robin Hood Half Marathon is one of the longest established and most popular city centre road events […]

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October 5th, 2025

MBNA Chester Marathon 2025

Join brainstrust’s mission to help people with brain tumours at the MBNA Chester Marathon. Get involved in the award-winning marathon set in the historic Roman Medieval destination, the great city of Chester. The event organisers pride themselves on being runners themselves and have designed a route that spans the largely flat stunning city as well as […]

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October 12th, 2025

Bournemouth Supersonic 10k 2025

Join team brainstrust’s mission to help people with a brain tumour at the Bournemouth Supersonic 10k. Running in the supersonic 10k will provide you with a glimpse of running the way it should be, along coastlines with the backdrop of the stunning sea. The Bournemouth Marathon Festival hosts the supersonic 10k and also brings many other distances […]

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October 12th, 2025

Manchester Half Marathon 2025

Join team brainstrust’s mission to help people with a brain tumour at the sell out Manchester Half Marathon. This inaugural half marathon sees runners take on generous, closed roads across the towns of Old Trafford, Stretford & Brooklands, with the promise of great support and an abundance of entertainment en route. The Manchester Half Marathon hosts […]

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October 12th, 2025

Bournemouth Half Marathon

Join team brainstrust’s mission to help people with a brain tumour at Bournemouth Half Marathon. Breathtaking views of the sea, cool coastal routes and the highlights of Poole and Bournemouth will be on show at this fantastic Half Marathon  event. The kind folk of the south coast will be proud to welcome you to their beautiful part […]

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October 19th, 2025

Amsterdam Half Marathon

Join team brainstrust’s mission to help people with a brain tumour at one of Europe’s most scenic and beautiful Half Marathons. The flat and fast course is packed with scenery as you run through Vondelpark & Rijksmuseum, following the Amsel River, you will be sure to see many canals and windmills but whatever you do, do not […]

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October 19th, 2025

Yorkshire Marathon

Join team brainstrust’s mission to help people with a bran tumour at The Yorkshire Marathon in October. The Yorkshire Marathon has been a monster success since day one. In many ways, it’s the jewel in White Rose County’s sporting crown. We like to think every element of The Yorkshire Marathon is charged with Yorkshire Spirit. Since the […]

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November 16th, 2025

Run Alton Towers 2025

Join team brainstrust’s mission to help people with a brain tumour at the fun for all the family Run Alton Towers event.  Choose between the 5km, 10km or Half Marathon distance.  Not only do all finishers get a fantastic medal but entry to the park is also included as part of your race entry fee.  So […]

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December 3rd, 2025

Santa in the City 5k (Wed)

Join brainstrust’s mission to help those with a brain tumour at Santa in the City 5km 2025. Your Santa Run will begin at 7:00 pm the 4.5km route starting in Paternoster Square just by the majestic St Paul’s Cathedral. You will then run along the North bank where there will be fantastic river views, before crossing […]

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December 4th, 2025

Santa in the City 5km (Thursday)

Join brainstrust’s mission to help people with a brain tumour at the Santa in the City 5km. Our Santa Run will begin at 7:00 pm the 4.5km route starting in Paternoster Square just by the majestic St Paul’s Cathedral. You will then run along the North bank where there will be fantastic river views, before crossing […]

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December 6th, 2025

Santa in the City 5km 2025 Tunbridge Wells (Saturday)

Join team brainstrust’s mission to help those with a brain tumour at the Santa in The City Tunbridge Wells 5km. Starting at Grosvenor & Hilbert Park, run the 3km festive fun run on 06 December 2025 at 3pm. Santa in the City is the perfect way to get you, your friends, and your family into the Tunbridge […]

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March 8th, 2026

Paris Half Marathon 2026

Join team brainstrust’s mission to help people with a brain tumour at the Paris Half Marathon. The Paris Half Marathon is one of the best overseas half marathons for UK runners to take part in! The World famous fashion capital ups the ante when it comes to running for charity. A vibrant atmosphere as you […]

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March 8th, 2026

Cambridge Half Marathon 2026

Join team brainstrust as we take on the 2026 Cambridge Half Marathon for people with a brain tumour. This flat and fast course starts and finishes on Victoria Avenue in the centre of Cambridge with Midsummer Common as the event site. The route has been updated for 2025 and will now take you through the private grounds […]

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April 12th, 2026

Brighton Marathon 2026

Join Team brainstrust as we take on the iconic Brighton Marathon for people living with a brain tumour diagnosis. The UK’s third largest marathon, not to mention most picturesque, will return on Sunday 12 April 2026! The fast and beautiful 26.2-mile course starts at Preston Park, and into Withdean before turning back down the London […]

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April 12th, 2026

London Landmarks Half Marathon 2026

Join team brainstrust’s mission to help all people with a brain tumour at the London Landmarks Half Marathon 2026. This hugely popular half marathon takes in the iconic Westminster Bridge and Charing Cross Road, up past Leicester Square and China Town. Adding even more world famous cultural landmarks to the route, and taking you to […]

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April 12th, 2026

Paris Marathon 2026

Join team brainstrust’s mission to help people with a brain tumour at the world famous Paris Marathon. The Schneider Electric Marathon de Paris is now one of the biggest marathons in the world and perfectly combines a personal challenge with the chance to discover one of the world’s greatest cities. Race day will see you […]

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April 19th, 2026

Manchester Marathon 2026

Join team brainstrust’s mission to help people with a brain tumour at the fourth largest marathon in Europe. This is also the flattest major marathon with great PB potential. As with every year all finishers will get a  funky medal and other goodies!  Deadline for entries is 3rd November 2025 so reserve your place today.  

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May 17th, 2026

Essar Chester Half Marathon 2026

Join team brainstrust’s mission to help people with a brain tumour at the Essar Chester Half Marathon 2026. The Chester Half is one of the UK’s longest established and most highly regarded half marathons, starting and finishing in the historic Roman/Medieval international destination city of Chester. The fast and largely flat city and rural race route will […]

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May 17th, 2026

Hackney Half Marathon

Join team brainstrust’s mission to help people with a brain tumour at this fast, flat, PB potential half marathon. The Hackney Half sells out every year and is renowned for its festival atmosphere and fantastic crowd support.  There will be entertainment stations along the route and a festival village for you to enjoy post race. Registration closes […]

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May 23rd, 2026

Edinburgh 5k – Edinburgh Marathon Festival 2026

Join team brainstrust’s mission to help people with a brain tumour at the Edinburgh 5k 2026. Come and be part of Scotland’s BIGGEST running festival! This ever-growing festival of running is now a major event in the Scottish sporting calendar. Starting in Edinburgh, the course heads out through East Lothian offering stunning views and an unforgettable running […]

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Introduction

The Brain Tumour Data Dashboard lets you explore up -to-date, population level data about the brain tumours diagnosed in England between 2013 and 2015. Using the drop down menus on the left you can select different groups of patients to view in the charts below. In these charts the number of patients for every 100 diagnoses is displayed as images of people. Patients have been grouped by date of diagnosis, type of tumour, age, gender, and region in England.

For each group of patients you can explore the different routes to diagnosis, the proportion of those who received chemotherapy or radiotherapy, as well as the survival of the patients within each group. For more information about what these metrics mean please see the glossary.

How to use

  1. Select the year of diagnosis using the drop down menu.
  2. Select your patient group of interest from the four drop down menus in the following order:
    1. Tumour group
    2. Age at diagnosis
    3. Region of England
    4. Gender of patient
  3. To view a second chart to compare different groups of patients, click the ‘compare’ button.The second chart will appear below the first chart.

*Note that the tool is best used on a laptop or tablet rather than a mobile phone*

Unavailable data

Some of the data in these charts is not available.There are two main reasons for this:

  1. How the data has been grouped

If you cannot select a patient group from the drop down menus, the data is unavailable because of how the data has been organised.

Public Health England has grouped the data like a branching tree. The bottom of the tree contains all the patients with brain tumours, and then each branch divides the data by a certain characteristics, like age, or location of tumour. But the data is divided in an order, starting with location of the tumour (endocrine or brain), then by age, region, and gender. Age is at the start because it makes a bigger difference to survival rates and treatment rates than gender or region. Sometimes, after the data has been split by type of tumour and age, there is not enough data to be split again. This is because to protect patient confidentiality groups cannot contain less than 100 patients. Because some groups cannot be split further, you cannot create ‘totals’ for everyone by region or gender. For example, you cannot see results for all ages by region, or all brain tumours by gender. If these totals were calculated and released, it might be possible to identify patients, which is why Public Health England cannot release this data.

  1. Statistical reasons and data availability

If you can select a patient group from the chart menus, but the chart does not display, the data is unavailable for one of several reasons:

  1. Data is not yet available for the selected year from Public Health England.
  2. Data is not available because the data quality is too poor to release this statistic.
  3. Data is not available as the statistic is not appropriate for this group.
  4. Data is not available because the standard error of the estimate was greater than 20% and so the estimate has been supressed.

Up to date brain tumour data

Brain tumour data may influence the decisions you make about your care. Data also helps you understand the bigger picture, or landscape, in which you find yourself.

Brain tumour data and statistics influence the focus, and work of organisations like brainstrust. The information helps us to understand the scale and impact of the problems we are setting out to solve.

This tool helps you understand the landscape in which you find yourself having been diagnosed with a brain tumour. This landscape can be particularly tricky to navigate as there are many different types of brain tumour, all of which have a different impact.

The information you see represents the most up-to-date, official, population level brain tumour data available for England. Over time we will be adding to the brain tumour data available and publishing reports, with recommendations, as a result of what we learn from this data.

The data behind this content has come from Public Health England’s National Cancer Registration and Analysis Service (NCRAS) and is a direct result of the ‘Get Data Out’ project.

This project provides anonymised population level brain tumour data for public use in the form of standard output tables, accessible here: http://cancerdata.nhs.uk/standardoutput

Incidence

The number or rate (per head of population) of new cases of a disease diagnosed in a given population during a specified time period (usually a calendar year). The crude rate is the total number of cases divided by the mid-year population, usually expressed per 100,000 population.

Malignant

Malignant tumours which grow by invasion into surrounding tissues and have the ability to metastasise to distant sites

Mortality

The number or rate (per head of population) of deaths in a given population during a specified time period (usually a calendar year). The crude rate is the total number of deaths divided by the mid-year population, usually expressed per 100,000 population.

Non-malignant

Not cancerousNon-malignant tumours may grow larger but do not spread to other parts of the body.

Survival

The length of time from the date of diagnosis for a disease, such as cancer, that patients diagnosed with the disease are still alive. In a clinical trial, measuring the survival is one way to see how well a new treatment works. Also called ‘overall survival’ or ‘OS’.

Routes to Diagnosis

Under the ‘Routes to Diagnosis’ tab in the Brain Tumour Data Dashboard, you can explore the ways patients have been diagnosed with brain tumours. There are many ways, or routes, for cancers to be diagnosed in the NHS. A ‘route to diagnosis’ is the series of events between a patient and the healthcare system that leads to a diagnosis of cancer. The routes include:

  1. Two Week Wait

Patients are urgently referred by their GP for suspected cancer via the Two Week Wait system and are seen by a specialist within 2 weeks where they are diagnosed.

  1. GP referral

Diagnosis via a GP referral includes routine and urgent referrals where the patient was not referred under the Two Week Wait system.

  1. Emergency Presentation

Cancers can be diagnosed via emergency situations such as via A&E, emergency GP referral, emergency transfer or emergency admission.

  1. Outpatient

Outpatient cancer diagnoses include diagnoses via an elective route which started with an outpatient appointment that is either a self-referral or consultant to consultant referral. (It does not include those under the Two Week Wait referral system).

  1. Inpatient elective

Diagnosis via an inpatient elective route is where diagnosis occurs after the patient has been admitted into secondary care from a waiting list, or where the admission is booked or planned.

  1. Death Certificate Only

Diagnoses made by Death Certificate Only are made where there is no more information about the cancer diagnosis other than the cancer related death notifications. The date of diagnosis is the same as that of the date of death.

  1. Unknown

For some patients with a cancer diagnosis, there is no relevant data available to understand the route to diagnosis.

 

More information

If any of the statistical terms in this section of the brainstrust website are hard to understand, we recommend looking them up here:

Cancer Research UK’s Cancer Statistics Explained

http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/cancer-stats-explained/statistics-terminology-explained#heading-Seven

If you are looking for help understanding terms relating specifically to brain tumours, and treatment, then the brainstrust glossary is available here:

https://www.brainstrust.org.uk/advice-glossary.php