Meningioma

Meningiomas are tumors that form on the meninges, the tissues that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord. Meningiomas are typically slow-growing tumors, but they can grow large enough to cause problems with vision or hearing.

Meningiomas make up about 30% of all brain tumors, and they are more common in women than in men. They are most common in people over the age of 40.

Meningiomas develop slowly in the meninges, which surround and protect the brain and spinal cord. Meningiomas are benign tumors that can grow anywhere in the brain or spinal cord. Radiant Oncology’s neurosurgeons and specialist teams are experienced in detecting and treating a wide range of meningiomas.

Brain Meningiomas

Skull Base Meningiomas

A meningioma’s symptoms may vary depending on where it is located in your brain.

Because meningiomas are slow growing, they can be difficult to diagnose. The symptoms of a meningioma—which may include subtle changes in personality or behavior as well as headaches and seizures—are often mistaken for other health conditions or written off as normal signs of aging

If your provider suspects that you have a meningioma, he or she may refer you to a doctor who specializes in treating neurological problems (neurologist).

To diagnose a meningioma, your doctor will conduct a detailed exam of your nervous system followed by an imaging test such as:

Some meningioma tumors will be biopsied to rule out other types of brain tumors and confirm the diagnosis.

The BCLC system ranks the severity of HCC by the tumor’s characteristics, how well the liver is functioning, how cancer impacts daily activities and performance (the patient’s status), and what symptoms are present. There are different stage groupings that include:

A meningioma is a primary central nervous system (CNS) tumor. This means it begins in the brain or spinal cord. Overall, meningiomas are the most common type of primary brain tumor. However, higher-grade meningiomas are very rare.

To get an accurate diagnosis, a piece of tumor tissue will be removed during surgery, if possible. A neuropathologist should then review the tumor tissue.

Primary central nervous system tumors are graded based on their location, type, spread to other parts of the body (metastasis), and whether surgery can be performed.

Meningioma subtypes are grouped into three grades based on their characteristics. The grade of a patient’s meningioma helps determine the type and spread of the tumor, as well as its treatment options.

Grade I: Meningiomas are slow-growing tumors that makeup about 90 percent of all spinal cord tumors in adults.

Grade II: Atypical meningiomas are considered to be higher-grade tumors, which means that they have a greater chance of returning after surgery. The two subtypes include choroid and clear cell meningioma.

Grade III: The tumors known as anaplastic meningiomas are malignant. They tend to grow quickly and spread aggressively once they begin invading other parts of the brain or spinal column.

The treatment for a meningioma will differ depending on a number of circumstances: the exact location of the tumor in the brain, the meningioma’s malignancy or benignity, and the patient’s general state and treatment objectives.

The side effects of meningioma treatment depend on the patient’s age, overall health, and how long they’ve been undergoing therapy. Some common side effects include:

Radiation therapy is the use of radiation to treat cancer. It is usually a part of the treatment plan for patients who have meningioma, which is a type of brain tumor. Radiation therapy can be used on its own or combined with other treatments such as surgery and chemotherapy.

Radiation therapy uses high-energy X-rays and/or other types of radiation to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. The goal of radiation therapy is to get rid of all or most of the tumor while causing minimal damage to surrounding healthy tissue. Radiation may also be used to relieve symptoms caused by the presence of a tumor, such as pain or pressure inside the head.

The amount of radiation that is given depends on many factors, including:

There are several risk factors that can increase your likelihood of developing meningioma, including:

Radiation exposure: People who have received high doses of radiation to their head or neck are more likely to develop meningiomas.

There are several ways to reduce your risk of getting meningioma, a tumor that develops on the brain or spinal cord.

Radiant Oncology is here to help you navigate your Meningioma diagnosis. We know that this can be a scary time, but we are here to walk you through it. We have been helping people like you for years now, and we have learned a lot about the needs of patients like you.

Meningioma is a type of tumor that grows on the meninges, which are layers that surround the brain and spinal cord. It can cause headaches, seizures, and other symptoms depending on where the tumor is located.

At Radiant Oncology, we care about you as an individual and want to help you get back to living your life again as quickly as possible. We know how frightening it can be when something like this happens—that’s why our team is here for you every step of the way.