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Long-Term Impact of Military-Relevant Brain Injury Consortium Chronic Effects of Neurotrauma Consortium

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Traumatic Brain Injury and Subsequent Risk of Brain Cancer in US Veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars

Stewart IJ, Howard JT, Poltavskiy E, Dore M, Amuan ME, Ocier K, Walker LE, Alcover KC, Pugh MJ. (2024). Traumatic Brain Injury and Subsequent Risk of Brain Cancer in US Veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars. JAMA network open, 7(2), e2354588. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.54588. PMID: 38358743; PMCID: PMC10870183.

Main Question

Does history of TBI exposure increase the risk of brain cancer?

Study Findings

In a cohort of close to two million Veterans, there were about 450,000 with TBI, with over 85% being mild. Brain cancer occurred in 318 individuals without TBI (0.02%), 80 with mTBI (0.02%), 17 with moderate/severe TBI (0.04%), and 10 or fewer with penetrating TBI (≤0.06%). After adjustment for covariates, moderate/severe TBI and penetrating TBI, but not mTBI, were associated with increased risk of brain cancer.

Practical Uses

Veterans with moderate/severe and penetrating TBI may be at increased risk for developing brain cancer. However, base rates of brain cancer in moderate/severe and penetrating TBI are extremely low.

There is limited benefit in proactively raising this risk.

In an effort to provide the latest findings to our consumers as quickly as possible, some of these studies, while fully peer reviewed, have not been presented or published either electronically or in print. Findings are presented for informational purposes only and should not be cited or referenced until they are formally published or presented.

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The U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity, 839 Chandler Street, Fort Detrick MD 21702-5014 is the awarding and administering acquisition office. This work was supported by the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs endorsed by the Department of Defense, through the Psychological Health/Traumatic Brain Injury Research Program Long-Term Impact of Military-Relevant Brain Injury Consortium (LIMBIC) Award/W81XWH-18-PH/TBIRP-LIMBIC under Awards No. W81XWH1920067 and W81XWH-13-2-0095, and by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Awards No. I01 CX002097, I01 CX002096, I01 HX003155, I01 RX003444, I01 RX003443, I01 RX003442, I01 CX001135, I01 CX001246, I01 RX001774, I01 RX 001135, I01 RX 002076, I01 RX 001880, I01 RX 002172, I01 RX 002173, I01 RX 002171, I01 RX 002174, and I01 RX 002170. Opinions, interpretations, conclusions and recommendations are those of the author and are not necessarily endorsed by the Department of Defense. / Created by VCU University Relations

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