Treatments for Meningioma

A meningioma is a tumor in the brain that grows slowly and can be found both on the surface and base of the brain or on the sheath that divides it into two. A meningioma is usually benign. It counts for 20 percent of brain tumors and people who have it are usually symptom-free.

Detection

• A meningioma is usually detected on CT scans and MRIs. There are various treatments for meningioma, but it can be difficult to take out and sometimes come back.

No Symptoms

• If a person has meningioma but does not exhibit any symptoms, doctors will not remove the tumor. Instead, they will watch the tumor over many office visits to make sure that it does not grow too big or pose any risk.

Non-Surgical Treatment

• Medicine, such as steroids, is prescribed to reduce inflammation in the brain. If the patient suffers from seizures, then medicine to control them is prescribed.

Surgery

• A meningioma can be fully or partially removed via surgery depending on its position in the brain. However, there is a 10 to 20 percent chance of recurrence after removal. Sometimes radiosurgery is used for parts of the tumor that are located on places that the surgeon is unable to cut.

External Beam Radiotherapy

• When the tumor is located on a place in the brain where operating cannot be done, surgeons will external beam radiotherapy to shrink the tumor. According to the Mayo Clinic, external beam radiotherapy has both a better success rate and less complications than standard surgery.