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A meningioma is a slow-growing brain tumor that affects the meninges, the tissue that covers the brain and spinal cord. It is usually benign and more common in adult women. Symptoms include headaches, weakness, and personality changes. Treatment includes surgery and radiation therapy. Annual or monthly brain scans are recommended to monitor tumor growth.
A cerebral meningioma is a brain tumor, although it is not a tumor of brain tissue. Instead, it is a tumor of the meninges, the thin layers of tissue that cover the brain and spinal cord. In most cases, a meningioma is a benign brain tumor, which means it’s not cancerous.
The causes of brain meningiomas are not known. They are more common in adult women, but can also occur in men and people of all ages. Some scientists believe that a combination of environmental and genetic factors may lead to them.
A brain meningioma is usually very slow growing and it can sometimes take years for symptoms to appear. Common symptoms can include headaches, weakness in the arms and legs, and sudden personality changes. If the tumor is in the spinal cord, symptoms usually include loss of sensation in the arms or legs.
When a person has these symptoms to a doctor, an MRI is usually done to try to detect the tumor. A CT scan and atheriogram may also be done. These tests can usually determine whether the tumor is a true brain tissue tumor or a brain meningioma. Even with these tests, a doctor will usually need to biopsy the tumor tissue to be sure.
The most common treatment for brain meningioma is surgery to remove the tumor outright. MRI images are used to map brain function beforehand, and these images are then used as a map that helps doctors remove as much of the tumor as possible and avoid damaging any critical part of the brain.
If a brain meningioma cannot be completely removed by surgery, radiation therapy is usually used. Most often, doctors will use a special machine that can aim beams of radiation directly at the brain tumor. This treatment usually needs to be done several times a week for several weeks.
Because a brain meningioma isn’t a cancerous or malignant brain tumor, sometimes doctors don’t suggest any treatment. Meniogiomas are very slow-growing tumors and don’t always affect brain function or cause severe symptoms. Even if a doctor decides that no treatment is needed, it is usually still recommended that the patient have annual or monthly brain scans to monitor tumor growth and decide if and when treatment should begin.
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