January 2019 sees two significant updates to the brain tumour data dashboard. First we have updated routes to diagnosis data. This shows where people with a brain tumour are being diagnosed. It is clear that many, arguably too many, brain tumours are being diagnosed as an emergency. Secondly, Public Health England’s National Cancer Registration and Analysis Service (NCRAS) have released data on numbers of people undergoing surgery for their brain tumour. One headline from this new dataset is that 1 in 2 people in England with a malignant brain tumour are having brain surgery, and that this has been the case consistently in recent years.
Difficult recovery from brain surgery
Will Jones, brainstrust’s Chief Executive comments on this, ‘It is good news that people are being treated proactively, and consistently. But it is important that the right support is in place for people undergoing invasive treatment. Brain surgery is a scary prospect for nearly all of us, moreso when you are facing this with a recent cancer diagnosis. Physical recovery can be quick, and scars hidden as hair regrows, but people need to have in place pragmatic strategies and support to cope with the stress and trauma of surgery and the right rehab to accelerate slow and difficult neurological recovery. For many brain surgery is life changing with long term mental and physical impact which requires acceptance or coming to terms with a ‘new normal’. This data shows just how important it is to have good support in place.
Explore the data
To explore the latest national brain tumour data (England only) then you can visit the brain tumour data dashboard, here: www.brainstrust.org.uk/brain-tumour-data
*Note that the dashboard is best used on a laptop or tablet rather than a mobile phone*
About brain tumour data
It is only in recent years that there has been a national dataset for cancer data, with data previously having been collected and reported upon regionally. As the quality and breadth of this national dataset improves, we are working with Public Health England to release relevant brain tumour data in way that is safe (anonymous) and easy to understand.
The brain tumour data timeline
