Patient education: Meningioma (The Basics)

What is a meningioma? — 

This is a type of tumor, or growth, in the brain. It forms in the tissues surrounding the brain and spinal cord, called the "meninges."

Most of the time, meningiomas are not cancer. But they can cause problems if they grow and push on the brain or nerves.

A meningioma can be:

●Grade 1 – These are "benign," meaning not cancer. They grow slowly, and often do not cause problems or need treatment right away. Most meningiomas are grade 1.

●Grade 2 – These are called "atypical." They grow faster than grade 1 meningiomas. They are also more likely to come back after treatment.

●Grade 3 – These are "malignant," meaning a form of cancer. They usually grow quickly and come back after treatment. They are rare.

Meningiomas are more common in females than in males.

What are the symptoms of a meningioma? — 

Many people have no symptoms. But symptoms can happen if the growth starts to press on part of the brain or nerves. The symptoms depend on which part of the brain is affected.

Symptoms can include:

●Seizures

●Vision changes, such as double vision or vision loss

●Hearing loss

●Personality changes

●Arm or leg weakness

●Problems with balance or coordination

●Headaches

●Loss of sense of smell

Other conditions can also cause these symptoms. But tell your doctor or nurse if you have any of these symptoms.

Will I need tests? — 

Yes. If you have symptoms that could be caused by a problem in the brain, your doctor will do an exam and order imaging tests, such as an MRI scan. Imaging tests create pictures of the brain. The pictures can show meningiomas or other abnormal growths. They can also show other kinds of changes that might be causing symptoms.

Sometimes, a person learns they have a meningioma before it causes any symptoms. It might be found if an imaging test is done for another reason, for example, after a head injury.

How is a meningioma treated? — 

Treatment depends on the size of the growth, where it is, and your age and health. Your doctor will talk to you about your options and the risks and benefits of each.

Your options might include:

●Surgery – Doctors remove as much of the growth as possible without hurting healthy areas of the brain.

●Radiation – Radiation can kill cells that are growing abnormally. Some people have radiation instead of surgery, and other people have it after surgery.

Sometimes, if the meningioma is growing slowly and not causing problems, doctors do not recommend getting treatment right away. In this case, they will do regular imaging tests to see if the meningioma grows or changes.

What if the meningioma comes back after treatment? — 

You might have more surgery or radiation. If these are not options for you, your doctor might talk with you about being in a clinical trial. This is a research study that uses volunteers to test new treatments.

When should I call the doctor? — 

Call for advice if you have:

●New seizures

●Changes in vision, hearing, or smell

●Changes in thinking, personality, or behavior

●New weakness or numbness in part of your body

●Other new symptoms that concern you

More on this topic

Patient education: Brain cancer (The Basics)
Patient education: Seizures (The Basics)
Patient education: What are clinical trials? (The Basics)

Patient education: Meningioma (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: High-grade glioma in adults (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Seizures in adults (Beyond the Basics)