Current Status of Brain Tumor Surveillance in Canada and Why it Matters

The Brain Tumor Foundation of Canada has identified developing a pan-Canadian report on all primary brain tumors as a priority. The objective of this report is to present the history and rationale underlying reporting of brain tumors and to summarize the current status of brain tumor data collection and reporting in Canadian registries. We reviewed the literature on reporting history and rationale, conducted a survey of cancer registries across Canada, and reviewed cancer registry websites and Canadian Cancer Statistics Reports for publicly available descriptive statistics. A brain tumor surveillance system that includes data on both malignant and benign brain tumors is feasible within Canada and will include approximately twice the number of malignant cases currently reported. Once patterns of brain tumors become available, clinicians, researchers, and policy makers will have a clearer understanding of disease burden and how Canadian survival outcomes fare across regions and against other nations. Collaborative efforts on the part of cancer registry and neurooncology stakeholders will serve to enhance the quality and utility of this information for improving the overall patient experience.