What Are Meningiomas?

Your brain and spinal cord are encased by what are known as meninges, which are membranes. When you contract meningioma, a tumor develops on your meninges. According to the Mayo Clinic, meningiomas are usually benign. However, even a benign meningioma can cause complications if the tumor grows too large or affects your brain. Meningiomas can be treated depending on the severity of the condition.

Causes

• Cells within your meninges become altered when you develop meningioma. As a result, the cells will grow and multiply in too great an abundance. It isn't exactly known why a meningioma develops. Some possible explanations include the inheritance of mutated genes, environmental exposure to toxins or high exposures to radiation. According to Brigham and Women's Hospital, there is a possible relationship between meningiomas and previous head trauma. Some people have developed a meningioma at the site of a recent head trauma.

Occurrence

• Meningiomas are more common in women. It isn't known whether hormones, such as progesterone and estrogen, play a role in meningioma development in women, however. Meningiomas can have bizarre growth rates, either transforming at a slow progression, or developing with sudden spurts of growth. A meningioma would have to grow to a considerable size before symptoms become manifest.

Symptoms

• When you begin to develop symptoms from a meningioma, they may be subtle. Common symptoms include visual disturbances, such as blurry vision or seeing double. You can develop headaches that progressively become worse, and that cannot be alleviated. Other symptoms will include hearing and memory loss, and weakness that develops in your arms and legs. According to the Mayo Clinic, if you begin to experience seizures or visual or memory disturbances that occur suddenly, seek immediate medical attention.

Diagnosis

• If some signs, such as memory loss, carelessness or seizures, may indicate a meningioma is present, your physician will conduct tests to confirm a diagnosis. Most tests include an X-ray, CT scan and MRI. An X-ray is a preliminary test to determine if any spots can be defined upon your brain. CT scans and MRIs can provide detailed images of your brain and can pinpoint the exact locations of any meningiomas.

Treatments

• Treatments for meningiomas can vary, depending on the size and severity of the tumor. In some cases, you might not require any treatment, which is especially true if the meningioma isn't causing any signs or symptoms. Surgery can be performed to remove parts of the meningioma, or all of the tumor. However, if the tumor is located in a delicate area, such as your spinal cord, only parts of the meningioma are likely to be removed. When a meningioma can't be completely removed, radiation therapy can be used to destroy the remaining meningioma cells. Radiation therapy may also reduce your chances of developing another meningioma, but the procedure needs to be precise, because radiation exposure is suspected as a cause of this condition.