Meningioma
- Brain
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- Meningioma
Table Of Contents
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What is Meningioma?
A meningioma is a tumour that develops in the brain and spinal cord membranes. It is the most frequently observed tumour in the brain and has the potential to compress the surrounding nerves and arteries.
Meningiomas are more common in women and at an older age. Because most meningiomas grow slowly and often without noticeable symptoms, they do not usually necessitate rapid treatment. However, their impact on surrounding brain tissue, nerves, or arteries can sometimes result in severe impairment.
What Causes a Meningioma?
The aetiology of meningioma is not clear yet. The most probable reason is a mutation, an alteration in cellular DNA, which can lead to uncontrolled cell growth. Many factors can result in mutation; they include:
- Genetic disease- Meningioma and other brain cancers are more likely in those with the rare illness neurofibromatosis 2.
- Feminine hormones- Because meningiomas are more common in women, physicians suspect female hormones may have a role. Oral birth control and hormone replacement treatment may increase the risk of meningioma growth.
- Treatment using ionising radiation- Radiation therapy to the head may raise the risk of developing a meningioma.
- Obesity- A high body mass index (BMI) is a known risk factor for various malignancies, and obese people have been found to have a greater rate of meningiomas.
What are the Symptoms of Meningioma?
Meningioma signs and symptoms usually appear gradually and can be rare at first. Signs and symptoms may vary depending on where the tumour is located in the brain or, in rare cases, the spine:
- Vision changes, such as double vision or blurriness
- Ringing in the ears or hearing loss
- A loss of odour
- Weakening of arms and legs
- Headaches that worsen after waking up in the morning
- Loss of memory
- Seizures
- Problems with speech
How is a Meningioma Diagnosed?
Because meningiomas are slow-growing tumours, they might be challenging to detect. Due to this reason, meningioma is often misdiagnosed as other illnesses or dismissed as natural indicators of ageing
The tests and procedures can include:
- MRI-MRI uses magnetic fields and radio waves to picture the parts of the brain.
- CT scan-CT scans use X-rays to provide cross-sectional images of the entire brain. An iodine-based dye is sometimes applied to make the picture easier to interpret.
- Biopsy- In some cases, a small tissue sample can be taken from the affected area to study under the microscope.
What is the Treatment for Meningioma?
Observation is generally recommended if the tumour is not causing any symptoms. The tumour is usually monitored with regular brain scans to see if it is expanding.
Surgery may be required if the tumour can cause difficulties or symptoms appear. A craniotomy is usually performed if surgery is needed. A portion of bone from the skull is removed during the treatment. This allows the surgeon to operate on the afflicted area of the brain. The tumour is subsequently removed, or as much of it as possible, by the surgeon. After that, the bone removed at the beginning of the treatment is replaced. If surgery isn’t an option, radiation may be used.
Radiation therapy eliminates any leftover meningioma cells and decreases the risk of cancer recurrence. Using a big machine, radiation therapy involves directing high- powered energy beams at tumour cells.