How serious is a meningioma?

How serious is a meningioma?

Although the majority of meningiomas are benign, these tumors can grow slowly until they are very large, if left undiscovered, and, in some locations, can be severely disabling and life-threatening. Other forms of meningioma may be more aggressive.

Is meningioma a form of cancer?

A meningioma is a tumor that forms on membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord just inside the skull. Specifically, the tumor forms on the three layers of membranes that are called meninges. These tumors are often slow-growing. As many as 90% are benign (not cancerous).

Can you live a long life with a meningioma?

Currently, more than 90 percent of adults between the ages of 20 and 44 survive for five years or longer after being diagnosed with meningioma. This encouraging survival rate includes many patients who have gone on to live several decades after their diagnosis.

Should a meningioma be removed?

If your meningioma causes signs and symptoms or shows signs that it's growing, your doctor may recommend surgery. Surgeons work to remove the meningioma completely. But because a meningioma may occur near many delicate structures in the brain or spinal cord, it isn't always possible to remove the entire tumor.

How long can you live after meningioma surgery?

The majority of meningiomas are benign and patients are typically considered surgically cured once tumor resection is complete. Postoperatively, patients enjoy long survival, with 5-year survival exceeding 80%, and 10- and 15-year survival both exceeding 70%.

How do they remove a meningioma?

The most common type of surgery to remove a meningioma is called a craniotomy. This procedure involves making an incision in the scalp and removing a piece of bone from the skull. The neurosurgeon can then access and remove the tumor, or as much of the tumor as possible without risk of severe damage to the brain.

Is meningioma malignant or benign?

A brain tumor diagnosis can sound like a life-threatening situation. But although the symptoms of most brain tumors are the same, not all tumors are malignant. In fact, meningioma is the most common brain tumor, accounting for about 30 percent of them. Meningioma tumors are often benign: You may not even need surgery.

Does meningioma run in families?

Gandhi further explains that meningiomas can affect anyone, but 40 percent occur in adults over age 60. Certain genetic mutations can cause people to have multiple meningiomas, or have these types of brain tumors run in their families, explains Dr. Gandhi.

How long are you in the hospital after meningioma surgery?

The hospital stay after surgery for a meningioma can range from a few days to a couple of weeks, depending on how large the tumor is, where it's located, and the type of procedure used to remove it.

At what size should a meningioma be removed?

Ideally, surgical removal of meningioma entails removal of a one-centimeter margin all the way around the tumor. However, this type of resection is not always possible, especially in the skull base. These deep-seated tumors in the skull base require referral to a skull base neurosurgeon.

What is the prognosis for someone with a meningioma?

• The 10-year survival rate for malignant meningioma is around 53%. Survival rates for meningioma depend on several factors, including whether the tumor is cancerous and the patient’s age. The 10-year survival for malignant meningioma is more than 78% for people age 20 to 44 and about 34% for people 75 and older.

When should a meningioma be removed?

• Malignant meningiomas are surgically removed whenever possible, while benign meningiomas are removed if they are large and/or causing neurologic problems. The type of procedure depends on the size and location of the tumor.

What causes a meningioma tumor?

• Symptoms of meningioma can be caused by the tumor pressing on the brain or spinal cord, stopping the normal functioning of a specific part of the brain, or pressing on nearby nerves or blood vessels. If the meningioma involves nearby bone, it may cause the bone to expand.

What is the prognosis of meningioma?

• Most meningiomas occur in the brain. But they can also grow on parts of the spinal cord. Often, meningiomas cause no symptoms and require no immediate treatment. But the growth of benign meningiomas can cause serious problems. In some cases, such growth can be fatal.