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Meningioma symptoms revealed: Do you know what unexpected problems meningioma may cause?
Meningiomas, also called meningeal tumors, are usually slow-growing tumors of the membrane-like layers that cover the brain and spinal cord. Symptoms vary depending on the location of the tumor, which usually occurs because the tumor presses on surrounding tissue. It is important to note that many cases of meningioma do not produce obvious symptoms.
In some cases, symptoms such as seizures, dementia, speech difficulties, vision problems, one-sided weakness, or loss of bladder control may occur.
Risk factors for meningioma include exposure to ionizing radiation (for example, during radiation therapy), family history of the disease, and neurofibromatosis type 2. Most cases arise from a variety of different cell types, including arachnoid cells.
Symptoms of meningiomaSmall meningiomas (e.g., less than 2.0 cm) are mostly discovered incidentally at autopsy and do not cause symptoms. Large tumors may cause a variety of symptoms depending on their size and location.
For example, a meningioma located on the surface of the brain may cause focal seizures, while a tumor in the sagittal anterior parietal region may cause progressive leg weakness and urination difficulties.
In addition, if the meningioma compresses the third and sixth cranial nerves, symptoms such as double vision or unequal pupil size may occur.
Causes of Meningioma
The causes of meningiomas are not fully understood. Most cases are sporadic, occurring randomly, but some are familial. People who have had radiation therapy, especially to the scalp, have a higher risk of developing meningioma.
Studies related to dental X-rays have shown that people who have had frequent dental X-rays have an increased risk of developing meningioma.
According to a 2012 review, mobile phone use has not been linked to the development of meningioma. Additionally, people with NF2 have a 50% chance of developing one or more meningiomas.
Diagnostic Methods
Meningiomas are usually easy to detect with imaging tests, such as CT and MRI, because they are usually tumors outside the brain tissue and are rich in blood vessels. If lumbar puncture is used to obtain cerebrospinal fluid, the cerebrospinal fluid protein level is usually elevated.
Treatment Options
Small, asymptomatic meningiomas may be managed with observation and periodic imaging to track changes in the tumor. For patients who require surgery, meningiomas can usually be removed with a permanent cure, whereas complete removal is almost impossible if the tumor has invaded the surrounding bone.
Radiotherapy is the mainstay of treatment for unresectable or symptomatic meningiomas, especially for grade II and III meningiomas.
Precautions
You can reduce your risk of meningioma by maintaining a healthy weight and avoiding unnecessary dental X-rays.
Effects and course of disease
According to reports, meningiomas affect approximately one in every 1,000 people in the United States. This type of tumor usually occurs in adults, with a male-to-female ratio of about 2:1, and women are about twice as likely to develop the disease as men. Although most meningiomas are benign, the possibility of malignancy still exists.
The course of meningioma varies, depending on the type of tumor and individual differences. According to the WHO classification system, meningiomas can be divided into three grades. We can see:
Benign (grade I) accounts for about 90%; Atypical (grade II) accounts for about 7%; and malignant (grade III) accounts for about 2%.
In these figures, we can't help but wonder whether the existence of meningioma can remind us to pay attention to more knowledge in this field?
