What is Meningioma?
A meningioma is a tumor that develops from the mininges. Meningis are the membrane that surrounds the brain and spinal chord. 10% of Meningioma are malignant and 90% are benign tumors. These benign tumors can grow and affect the brain causing disabilities and death. Some of these benign tumors grow slow and reach a large size before symptoms are noticed. While others grow unpredictably fast, depending upon location. Multiple meningiomas may grow in different parts of the brain and spinal cord simultaneously or at only one site. Meningiomas are the most common type of primary brain tumor which originates in the central nervous system, approx. 27%.
Who’s at risk?
Middle aged people between 40 and 70 are most prone to develop Meninigiomas. Also they are more common to women than men. The ratio is about 3 to 1 in the brain and 6 to 1 in the spinal cord. Children rarely get meningiomas, approximately 1.5%.
Symptoms and Diagnosis
Symptoms of meningioma vary depending size and location. They are: (1) memory loss, (2) unbalance, (3) headaches, (4) vision loss, (5) arm or leg weakness, (6) carelessness, and (7) seizures. Patients may have some of these symptoms for a long time before being diagnosed. Doctors usually have their patient scheduled for a CT and/or MRI scan with contrast. MRI images better to show pathology. But CT can show boney detail (such as if the tumor invades the bone or if it’s calcified).
Treatment Outcome
The treatment for clinical diagnosis meningiomas is surgical resection/removal. Incomplete removal of tumors due to location or age may cause the tumor to reoccur. The residual tumor cells can actually begin to grow again. Younger patients have an increased chance of survival. Nevertheless, older patients, otherwise in good health, have a pretty good outcome. Survival rates show a big difference when grouped by type with atypical being the highest followed by benign and then malignant.
A meningioma is a tumor that develops from the mininges. Meningis are the membrane that surrounds the brain and spinal chord. 10% of Meningioma are malignant and 90% are benign tumors. These benign tumors can grow and affect the brain causing disabilities and death. Some of these benign tumors grow slow and reach a large size before symptoms are noticed. While others grow unpredictably fast, depending upon location. Multiple meningiomas may grow in different parts of the brain and spinal cord simultaneously or at only one site. Meningiomas are the most common type of primary brain tumor which originates in the central nervous system, approx. 27%.
Who’s at risk?
Middle aged people between 40 and 70 are most prone to develop Meninigiomas. Also they are more common to women than men. The ratio is about 3 to 1 in the brain and 6 to 1 in the spinal cord. Children rarely get meningiomas, approximately 1.5%.
Symptoms and Diagnosis
Symptoms of meningioma vary depending size and location. They are: (1) memory loss, (2) unbalance, (3) headaches, (4) vision loss, (5) arm or leg weakness, (6) carelessness, and (7) seizures. Patients may have some of these symptoms for a long time before being diagnosed. Doctors usually have their patient scheduled for a CT and/or MRI scan with contrast. MRI images better to show pathology. But CT can show boney detail (such as if the tumor invades the bone or if it’s calcified).
Treatment Outcome
The treatment for clinical diagnosis meningiomas is surgical resection/removal. Incomplete removal of tumors due to location or age may cause the tumor to reoccur. The residual tumor cells can actually begin to grow again. Younger patients have an increased chance of survival. Nevertheless, older patients, otherwise in good health, have a pretty good outcome. Survival rates show a big difference when grouped by type with atypical being the highest followed by benign and then malignant.
For more information log on to: www.brighamandwomen.org/neurosurgery/Meningioma
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