A type of brain growth, the majority of meningiomas are benign or non-cancerous. However, even benign forms of this condition can cause serious health problems depending on where in the brain the growth forms. Fortunately, most meningiomas can be treated effectively.
Meningiomas are categorized according to grade:
Meningiomas can also affect many areas of the brain. Accordingly, symptoms may vary depending on where the tumour develops.
Most people don’t notice significant health effects when meningiomas first develop. Over time, symptoms can include:
Doctors aren’t sure why meningiomas form. Receiving radiation therapy in childhood can increase a person’s chance of developing the condition, but there are no other evident risk factors linked to meningiomas.
In some cases, doctors recommend monitoring of brain growths. In this case, patients will need to undergo regular scans and evaluations to determine the progression of the tumour.
It’s also possible to remove meningioma with surgery. With benign growths, surgery may be the only treatment required. If surgery cannot remove the entire growth, patients may require further monitoring or radiation therapy. When growths are malignant, surgery will likely be combined with radiation therapy to ensure the best possible outlook for the patient.