Determinants of Glioma: An epidemiological and genetic study

Gliomas are malignant brain tumours of neuroepithelial origin. Less than one thousand patients are diagnosed with glioma each year in the Netherlands. No major factors in the aetiology of glioma have been identified, and for >95% of the patients, the cause is unknown. The objective of this thesis was to explore aetiological factors for glioma. In the studies for environmental and genetic risk factors, we used several different approaches in both population-based and family-based designs. In the first part of the thesis, the aim was to obtain additional insights in environmental risk factors for glioma. By the use of classical and novel methods, hypotheses were formulated about mechanisms that possibly play a role in the development of glioma. The second part of the thesis aimed at the genetic basis of the disease by studying both families and more distantly related patients from genetically isolated communities.