Study Links A Higher Education To Brain Cancer

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – There is no doubt that higher education comes at a steep price for many. But, a new study is saying that it could possibly cost you your life.

The study published in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health suggests a college education may be linked to brain cancer.

The observational study analyzed more than 4.3 million people born between 1911 and 1961 who lived in Sweden in 1991.

After analyzing their data, they found that three kinds of brain tumors were associated with more education and better paying jobs. The tumors were glioma, meningioma, and acoustic neuroma.

According to CBS News, Gliomas, in particular, were more common in people who had at least three years of university studies under their belt.

The study attributed factors such as having a high-power position and comfortable income to high brain tumor risks in men and women.

Study author Amal Khanolkar is a research associate at the Institute of Child Health at University College London. He told CBS News that he and colleagues were interested in investigating health inequalities.

"Previous studies have showed conflicting results on possible associations between socioeconomic position and brain tumor. This could be due to study design. We decided to investigate this using the appropriate study design," he said.

The author believes that the association is merely one of coincidence. He said that the link may be because people of greater wealth are more likely to get tested for these diseases at an earlier stage. Whereas people of lower economic standing tend to wait until obvious signs manifest to seek medical attention.

In all, the author has acknowledged that the study only shows a correlation and not a direct cause and effect relationship. And more importantly:

"I certainly would not want a study like this to suggest that we should not educate our children," he added.