Epidemiology of primary central nervous system tumors in the Coast and Gorski Kotar County, Croatia, 1977-2000.
OBJECTIVE
To establish the incidence of primary tumors of the central nervous system (CNS) in the resident population of the Coast and Gorski Kotar County, Croatia, in the period 1977-2000.


METHODS
A retrospective descriptive epidemiological study. Tumors were classified according to the World Health Organization's scheme. A total of 911 cases was identified. Information about patient gender and age at diagnosis, tumor location and histologic type was obtained from case histories, autopsy protocols and pathology reports. Age- and sex-adjusted incidence were determined by a direct standardization method.


RESULTS
Histologic confirmation was obtained in 84.5% of cases. The most frequent tumors were glioblastoma in men (30.2%) and meningioma in women (29.5%). The average annual crude and world-standardized incidence was 11.2 (95% CI, 10.1-12.3) and 8.2/100,000/year (95% CI, 7.4-9.0), respectively. The highest specific age incidence was detected in the seventh decade of life, 24.7/100,000/year (95% CI, 21.4-28.8). The tumors occurred equally in each sex. The lowest incidence was detected on the islands, 7.4/100,000/year (95% CI, 5.9-9.2) and the highest along the coast, 12.7/100,000/year (95% CI, 11.4-14.0). The survey showed the highest incidence of these neoplasms in the coastal municipality of Senj, 14.7/100,000/year (95% CI, 10.3-20.5).


CONCLUSIONS
The descriptive epidemiological incidence of primary CNS tumors in the Coast and Gorski Kotar County, Croatia, especially those of neuroepithelial and meningeal origin, correspond to the data reported in similar studies elsewhere in the world. The incidence of these neoplasms in the area investigated is uneven. Limitations in study design preclude definitive conclusions about the causes of these differences.
Tuskan-Mohar
Lidija
L
Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Croatia. ltuskan@net.hr
Materljan
Eris
E
Jurjević
Anton
A
Weiner-Crnja
Mima
M
Willheim
Ksenija
K
Antoncić
Igor
I
Bucuk
Mira
M
Sepcić
Juraj
J
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D016543:Central Nervous System Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D015986:Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic; D017523:Croatia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008579:Meningioma / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D018302:Neoplasms, Neuroepithelial / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution