Brain cancer : A new study discovered that head injuries increase the likelihood of acquiring brain cancer.

Brain cancer : You’ve probably heard elders caution you not to get hit in the head since it won’t help you in the long run. It turns out that they were correct all along.

A groundbreaking new study has shown a worrying link: moderate to severe head traumas may increase the likelihood of acquiring brain cancer in the future. Recent research, including a large-scale study of over 75,000 patients with traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), suggests that those with moderate to severe injuries have a significantly higher risk of developing malignant brain tumors than those who are not damaged.

Understanding the relationship between contact sports, falls, and accidents is vital, not to raise alarms, but to promote awareness and informed medical care.

Head traumas and brain cancer risk: What does fresh evidence say?

Between 2000 and 2024, a study examined health data from over 75,000 participants, focusing on those who had suffered mild, moderate, or severe TBIs. The findings were startling: 0.6% of people with moderate to severe TBIs acquired malignant brain tumors within three to five years after their injury, compared to a far lower percentage of people who had no such history. Mild TBI, on the other hand, did not raise the likelihood of developing cancer.

These findings corroborate earlier research. A 2024 veteran-focused analysis of approximately two million US service members indicated that moderate/severe TBI roughly quadrupled the risk, while penetrating TBI more than tripled it, compared to those who did not have brain injuries.

Although the number of cancer cases remained low, there was a strong dose-response link to damage severity.

Evidence is not confined to veterans or a single hospital system. A hospital-based case-control study in Afghanistan revealed that patients with a history of head injury had a 2.6 times higher chance of acquiring a brain tumor than those who had not sustained such an injury.

A major worldwide study also connected male meningioma diagnoses to previous head traumas, most notably a 5.4-fold risk increase when the event occurred 15 to 24 years ago.

How do head injuries cause cancer?

Research indicates a relationship between head injuries and an increased risk of acquiring brain cancer. But, how is this possible?

Scientists are beginning to investigate the biological mechanisms underlying the reported correlations. Following a head injury, a process of inflammation and altered cell behavior may cause specific brain cells, such as astrocytes, to regress into stem cell-like states. If these cells already have genetic alterations, they may be more likely to develop cancer over time.

Researchers at University College London (UCL) discovered that in mice, acute brain injury combined with deletion of the tumor-suppressor gene p53 can transform normal brain support cells (astrocytes) into stem-like cells that grow and can become malignant.

Furthermore, a meta-analysis of numerous epidemiological studies discovered a slight increase in the overall risk of brain tumours, particularly gliomas and meningiomas, following head trauma, albeit confidence intervals varied.

Not all brain tumors and injuries are alike.

Although the study found a link between head injuries and the likelihood of acquiring brain cancer, it is crucial to emphasize that not all types of brain tumors are associated with head injuries. For example, population-based studies in Taiwan revealed no link between head trauma and meningioma development. Furthermore, while rare, head traumas have been linked to an increased risk of dementia rather than cancer, demonstrating that various damage pathways might result in different consequences.

The Road Ahead

Although the risk is still modest in absolute terms, consistent patterns across studies indicate a meaningful link between significant TBIs and later brain cancer risk. The combination of epidemiological and molecular evidence suggests that inflammation and genetic mutation work together to convert wounded cells into tumor-initiating ones.

These findings emphasize the significance of long-term medical follow-up for those who have suffered major TBIs. They also emphasize the crucial importance of protective measures in combat zones, sports, and everyday life, as well as increased vigilance among medical personnel while monitoring patients after an injury.