Causes

Who is more likely to get a malignant brain tumour (brain cancer)

It's not always clear what causes a malignant brain tumour (brain cancer).

Anyone can get it, but you may be more at risk if you:

are over 85 years old
are very overweight or living with obesity
have a close relative who has had a brain tumour
have a genetic condition that increases the risk of brain tumours, such as neurofibromatosis type 1, neurofibromatosis type 2 or tuberous sclerosis

Many cancers are also linked to lifestyle.

Find out more

Cancer Research UK: risks and causes of brain tumours

How to lower your risk of a malignant brain tumour (brain cancer)

You cannot always prevent a malignant brain tumour (brain cancer), but there are things you can do to lower your chance of getting it.

Do

eat a healthy, balanced diet including at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day
try to lose weight if you're overweight
try to quit smoking
try to cut down on alcohol - avoid drinking more than 14 units a week

It's important to get any symptoms of a malignant brain tumour checked by a GP.

Sexual Health Advice

Throughout this series we have help and advice on staying healthy, dealing with Sexually Transmitted Infections, the risks of each type of the most popular gay sex and what to do if the sex you have is not consentual. The topics covered in this series include:

	This item was in brought to you association with NHS website. Follow the links above for more information and don't forget to check out OutUK's A to Z of Gay Health which features items on everything from relationships, sexual health, mental and physical conditions and how to stay fit. This week our topic is: L - Lung Cancer.
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