Meningiomas
Meningiomas account for 20 percent of all brain tumors and arise from the meninges (the three membranes covering the brain and spinal cord: dura mater, arachnoid and pia mater). These tumors are more common in females than in males and tend to grow faster during pregnancy.
About 90 percent of meningiomas are slow-growing benign (non-cancerous) tumors and 10 percent are classified as "atypical" or malignant (cancerous). Although meningiomas are typically diagnosed in adults, they can also occur in children. The Lucile Packard Children's Hospital has specialists who treat children with brain tumors.
Despite the fact that the majority of meningiomas are benign, these tumors can still be life-threatening because as they grow they push against other brain tissues. Most people develop a single meningioma, but it is also possible to have several of these tumors growing at the same time in different parts of the brain and spinal cord.
Types of Meningiomas
According to the World Health Organization, the three most common meningioma subtypes (all of which are benign) are meningiothelial meningioma, fibrous (fibroblastic) meningioma and transitional (mixed) meningioma. These tumors are identified based on their appearance under a microscope.
Risk Factors for Meningiomas
Two factors are known to increase the risk of developing meningiomas:
- Previous exposure to radiation
- Carrying a genetic disorder called neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2)
Other factors that may or may not be associated with a higher incidence of meningiomas include:
- Infected with certain viruses (although this link is unclear)
- Previous skull or head trauma
Researchers have been able to determine that there is a defect in chromosome 22 (probably spontaneous) in as many as 75 percent of people who develop meningiomas. This chromosome also carries the gene responsible for the genetic disorder NF2.
Stanford Cancer Center/Neuro-Oncology Multidisciplinary Expertise
The Stanford Neuro-Oncology Program can offer piece of mind to you and your family if you have discovered you have meningioma(s). This specialized group of board-certified physicians will work with you to explore all options of diagnosis and treatment during this difficult time.
You and your clinician may agree that since you are currently asymptomatic with a slow-growing meningioma, you will be scheduled for frequent MRI monitoring of your meningioma working with the most advanced radiodiagnostic team.
Alternatively, if you are experiencing symptoms and surgery is the best option, state-of-the-art cranial base surgery is available through Stanford's Cranial Base Center. Surgeons at the center employ new skull base surgical techniques that are minimally invasive yet still allow access to certain tumors that may be located deep in the brain. This allows optimal tumor removal while preserving brain function to the greatest extent possible.
The Cranial Base Tumor Team, includes specialists in Neurotology, Head & Neck Surgery, Sinus Surgery, Neuro-Oncology, Neural Monitoring, Radiation Oncology and CyberKnife.
Your Stanford physician can discuss the benefits and risks of these therapies, or conventional radiotherapy. The latter is available for the treatment of malignant meningiomas or meningiomas that may be too large for radiosurgery. Patients with cavernous sinus meningiomas have also been successfully treated at Stanford with linear accelerator (LINAC) radiosurgery.
Other services available at the Stanford Comprehensive Cancer Center include genetic counseling, complementary/integrative medicine and supportive care services to assist you and your family.