The Difference Between a Meningioma & a Schwannoma

Meningiomas and schwannomas are both types of neurological tumors. Neither type of tumor has a known cause, although both appear in individuals who have neurofibromatosis. Beyond these factors, the two types of tumors are very different.

Development

• Meningiomas form from the meninges, the membrane that surrounds the brain and the spinal cord. Schwannomas develop from schwann cells, the membrane that coats nerve cells.

Location

• Meningiomas can only form in the brain or spinal cord. Schwannomas can occur in any nerve throughout the body.

Growth Rate

• Meningioma tumors have unpredictable growth patterns. They may grow slowly, go through a spurt where they rapidly increase in size, and then slow down again. Schwannomas have a growth pattern that is very slow and consistent.

Symptoms

• Common symptoms of meningiomas are memory loss, migraines, unsteadiness and vision loss. Schwannomas cause symptoms such as numbness or tingling in one area of the body and electric-like shocks.

Identification

• Meningiomas are rarely visible on the body. They grow on the brain and the spinal cord, so the tumors are deep within the body. Schwannomas that grow in the deeper nerves aren't visible, but since many schwannomas grow in nerves in the arms, legs and face, they are visible lumps.