Meningioma | |
---|---|
Other names | Meningeal tumor [1] |
An MRI of the brain, demonstrating the appearance of a meningioma | |
Specialty | Neurosurgery, Neuro-oncology |
Symptoms | None, seizures, dementia, trouble talking, vision problems, one sided weakness [2] |
Usual onset | Adults [1] |
Types | WHO Grade 1, 2, or 3 [1] |
Risk factors | Ionizing radiation, family history [3] |
Diagnostic method | Medical imaging [2] |
Differential diagnosis | Haemangiopericytoma, lymphoma, schwannoma, solitary fibrous tumour, metastasis [4] |
Treatment | Observation, surgery, radiation therapy [2] |
Medication | Anticonvulsants, corticosteroids [2] |
Prognosis | 95% ten year survival with complete removal [5] |
Frequency | c. 1 per 1,000 (US) [3] |
Meningioma, also known as meningeal tumor, is typically a slow-growing tumor that forms from the meninges, the membranous layers surrounding the brain and spinal cord. [1] Symptoms depend on the location and occur as a result of the tumor pressing on nearby tissue. [3] [6] Many cases never produce symptoms. [2] Occasionally seizures, dementia, trouble talking, vision problems, one sided weakness, or loss of bladder control may occur. [2]
Risk factors include exposure to ionizing radiation such as during radiation therapy, a family history of the condition, and neurofibromatosis type 2. [2] [3] They appear to be able to form from a number of different types of cells including arachnoid cells. [1] [2] Diagnosis is typically by medical imaging. [2]
If there are no symptoms, periodic observation may be all that is required. [2] Most cases that result in symptoms can be cured by surgery. [1] Following complete removal fewer than 20% recur. [2] If surgery is not possible or all the tumor cannot be removed, radiosurgery may be helpful. [2] Chemotherapy has not been found to be useful. [2] A small percentage grow rapidly and are associated with worse outcomes. [1]
About one per thousand people in the United States are currently affected. [3] Onset is usually in adults. [1] In this group they represent about 30% of brain tumors. [4] Women are affected about twice as often as men. [3] Meningiomas were reported as early as 1614 by Felix Plater. [7]
Small tumors (e.g., < 2.0 cm) usually are incidental findings at autopsy without having caused symptoms. Larger tumors may cause symptoms, depending on the size and location.[ citation needed ]
The causes of meningiomas are not well understood. [8] Most cases are sporadic, appearing randomly, while some are familial. Persons who have undergone radiation, especially to the scalp, are more at risk for developing meningiomas, as are those who have had a brain injury. [9] Atomic bomb survivors from Hiroshima had a higher than typical frequency of developing meningiomas, with the incidence increasing the closer that they were to the site of the explosion. Dental X-rays are correlated with an increased risk of meningioma, in particular for people who had frequent dental X-rays in the past, when the X-ray dose of a dental X-ray was higher than in the present. [10]
Having excess body fat increases the risk. [11] In 2020, the European Medicine Agency issued a warning that high doses of cyproterone acetate may contribute to risk of meningioma, and to use the minimum dosage or alternative treatment for most indications, with the exception of prostate carcinoma. [12]
A 2012 review found that mobile telephone use was unrelated to meningioma. [13]
People with neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF-2) have a 50% chance of developing one or more meningiomas. [14]
92% of meningiomas are benign. 8% are either atypical or malignant. [7]
The most frequent genetic mutations (~50%) involved in meningiomas are inactivation mutations in the neurofibromatosis 2 gene (merlin) on chromosome 22q. [14]
TRAF7 mutations are present in about one-fourth of meningiomas. Mutations in the TRAF7 , KLF4 , AKT1 , and SMO genes are commonly expressed in benign skull-base meningiomas. Mutations in NF2 are commonly expressed in meningiomas located in the cerebral and cerebellar hemispheres. [15]
Meningiomas arise from arachnoidal cap cells, [17] most of which are near the vicinity of the venous sinuses, and this is the site of greatest prevalence for meningioma formation. Some subtypes may arise from the pial cap cells that migrate during the development together with blood vessels into the brain parenchyma. [18] They most frequently are attached to the dura over the superior parasagittal surface of frontal and parietal lobes, along the sphenoid ridge, in the olfactory grooves, the Sylvian region, superior cerebellum along the falx cerebri , cerebellopontine angle, and the spinal cord. The tumor is usually gray, well-circumscribed, and takes on the form of the space it occupies. They usually are dome-shaped, with the base lying on the dura.[ citation needed ]
Other uncommon locations are the lateral ventricle, foramen magnum, and the orbit/optic nerve sheath. [7] Meningiomas also may occur as a spinal tumor, more often in women than in men. This occurs more often in Western countries than Asian.[ citation needed ]
Histologically, meningioma cells are relatively uniform, with a tendency to encircle one another, forming whorls and psammoma bodies (laminated calcific concretions). [19] As such, they also have a tendency to calcify and are highly vascularized.[ citation needed ]
Meningiomas often are considered benign tumors that can be removed by surgery, but most recurrent meningiomas correspond to histologic benign tumors. The metabolic phenotype of these benign recurrent meningiomas indicated an aggressive metabolism resembling that observed for atypical meningioma. [20]
Meningiomas are visualized readily with contrast CT, MRI with gadolinium, [23] and arteriography, all attributed to the fact that meningiomas are extra-axial and vascularized. CSF protein levels are usually found to be elevated when lumbar puncture is used to obtain spinal fluid.[ citation needed ] On T1-weighted contrast-enhanced MRI, they may show a typical dural tail sign absent in some rare forms of meningiomas. [18]
Although the majority of meningiomas are benign, they may have malignant presentations. Classification of meningiomas are based upon the WHO classification system. [24]
In a 2008 review of the latter two categories, atypical and anaplastic-meningioma cases, the mean overall survival for atypical meningiomas was found to be 11.9 years vs. 3.3 years for anaplastic meningiomas. Mean relapse-free survival for atypical meningiomas was 11.5 years vs. 2.7 years for anaplastic meningiomas. [25]
Malignant anaplastic meningioma is aggressive. Although anaplastic meningioma has higher chances of distant metastasis than the other two types, the overall incidence of meningioma metastasis is only 0.18%; which is considered rare. [26] Even if, by general rule, neoplasms of the nervous system (brain tumors) cannot metastasize into the body because of the blood–brain barrier, anaplastic meningioma can. Although they are inside the cerebral cavity, they are located on the bloodside of the BBB, because meningiomas tend to be connected to blood vessels. Thus, cancerized cells can escape into the bloodstream, which is why meningiomas, when they metastasize, often turn up around the lungs.[ citation needed ]
Anaplastic meningioma and hemangiopericytoma are difficult to distinguish, even by pathological means, as they look similar, especially, if the first occurrence is a meningeal tumor, and both tumors occur in the same types of tissue.[ citation needed ]
Although usually benign a "petro-clival" menigioma is typically fatal without treatment due to its location. Until the 1970s no treatment was available for this type of meningioma; however, since that time a range of surgical and radiological treatments have evolved. Nevertheless, the treatment of this type of meningioma remains a challenge with relatively frequent poor outcomes. [27]
The risk of meningioma can be reduced by maintaining a normal body weight, [28] and by avoiding unnecessary dental x-rays. [29]
Observation with close imaging follow-up may be used in select cases if a meningioma is small and asymptomatic. In a retrospective study on 43 patients, 63% of patients were found to have no growth on follow-up, and the 37% found to have growth at an average of 4 mm / year. [30] In this study, younger patients were found to have tumors that were more likely to have grown on repeat imaging; thus are poorer candidates for observation. In another study, clinical outcomes were compared for 213 patients undergoing surgery vs. 351 patients under watchful observation. [31] Only 6% of the conservatively treated patients developed symptoms later, while among the surgically treated patients, 5.6% developed persistent morbid condition, and 9.4% developed surgery-related morbid condition.[ citation needed ]
Observation is not recommended in tumors already causing symptoms. Furthermore, close follow-up with imaging is required with an observation strategy to rule out an enlarging tumor. [32]
Meningiomas usually can be surgically resected (removed) and result in a permanent cure if the tumor is superficial on the dural surface and easily accessible. Transarterial embolization has become a standard preoperative procedure in the preoperative management. [33] If invasion of the adjacent bone occurs, total removal is nearly impossible. It is rare for benign meningiomas to become malignant.[ citation needed ]
The probability of a tumor recurring or growing after surgery may be estimated by comparing the tumor's WHO (World Health Organization) grade and by the extent of surgery by the Simpson Criteria. [34]
Simpson Grade | Completeness of Resection | 10-year Recurrence |
---|---|---|
Grade I | complete removal including resection of underlying bone and associated dura | 9% |
Grade II | complete removal and coagulation of dural attachment | 19% |
Grade III | complete removal without resection of dura or coagulation | 29% |
Grade IV | subtotal resection | 40% |
Grade V | simple decompression ± biopsy | n/a |
Radiation therapy may include photon-beam or proton-beam treatment, or fractionated external beam radiation. Radiosurgery may be used in lieu of surgery in small tumors located away from critical structures. [35] Fractionated external-beam radiation also can be used as primary treatment for tumors that are surgically unresectable or, for patients who are inoperable for medical reasons.[ citation needed ]
Radiation therapy often is considered for WHO grade I meningiomas after subtotal (incomplete) tumor resections. The clinical decision to irradiate after a subtotal resection is somewhat controversial, as no class I randomized, controlled trials exist on the subject. [36] Numerous retrospective studies, however, have suggested strongly that the addition of postoperative radiation to incomplete resections improves both progression-free survival (i.e. prevents tumor recurrence) and improves overall survival. [37]
In the case of a grade III meningioma, the current standard of care involves postoperative radiation treatment regardless of the degree of surgical resection. [38] This is due to the proportionally higher rate of local recurrence for these higher-grade tumors. Grade II tumors may behave variably and there is no standard of whether to give radiotherapy following a gross total resection. Subtotally resected grade II tumors should be radiated.[ citation needed ]
Likely, current chemotherapies are not effective. Antiprogestin agents have been used, but with variable results. [39] A 2007 study of whether hydroxyurea has the capacity to shrink unresectable or recurrent meningiomas is being further evaluated. [40]
Many individuals have meningiomas, but remain asymptomatic, so the meningiomas are discovered during an autopsy. One to two percent of all autopsies reveal meningiomas that were unknown to the individuals during their lifetime, since there were never any symptoms. In the 1970s, tumors causing symptoms were discovered in 2 out of 100,000 people, while tumors discovered without causing symptoms occurred in 5.7 out of 100,000, for a total incidence of 7.7/100,000. With the advent of modern sophisticated imaging systems such as CT scans, the discovery of asymptomatic meningiomas has tripled.[ citation needed ]
Meningiomas are more likely to appear in women than men, though when they appear in men, they are more likely to be malignant. Meningiomas may appear at any age, but most commonly are noticed in men and women age 50 or older, with meningiomas becoming more likely with age. They have been observed in all cultures, Western and Eastern, in roughly the same statistical frequency as other possible brain tumors. [7]
The neoplasms currently referred to as meningiomas were referred to with a wide range of names in older medical literature, depending on the source. Various descriptors included "fungoid tumors", "fungus of the dura mater", "epithelioma", "psammoma", "dural sarcoma", "dural endothelioma", "fibrosarcoma", "angioendothelioma", "arachnoidal fibroboastoma", "endotheliosis of the meninges", "meningeal fibroblastoma", "meningoblastoma", "mesothelioma of the meninges", "sarcoma of the dura", and others.[ citation needed ]
The modern term of "meningioma" was used first by Harvey Cushing (1869–1939) in 1922, to describe a set of tumors that occur throughout the neuraxis (brain and spinal cord), but have various commonalities. [41] [42] Charles Oberling then separated these into subtypes based on cell structure and, over the years, several other researchers have defined dozens of different subtypes as well. In 1979, the World Health Organization (WHO) classified seven subtypes, upgraded in 2000 to a classification system with nine low-grade variants (grade I tumors) and three variants each of grade II and grade III meningiomas. [42] The most common subtypes are Meningotheliomatous (63%), transitional or mixed-type (19%), fibrous (13%), and psammomatous (2%). [7]
The earliest evidence of a probable meningioma is from a skull approximately 365,000 years old, which was found in Germany. Other probable examples have been discovered in other continents around the world, including North and South America, and Africa.[ citation needed ]
The earliest written record of what was probably a meningioma is from the 1600s, when Felix Plater (1536–1614) of the University of Basel performed an autopsy on Sir Caspar Bonecurtius. [41] Surgery for removal of a meningioma was first attempted in the sixteenth century, but the first known successful surgery for removal of a meningioma of the convexity (parasagittal) was performed in 1770 by Anoine Luis. [43] The first documented successful removal of a skull base meningioma was performed in 1835 by Zanobi Pecchioli, Professor of Surgery at the University of Siena. [7] Other notable meningioma researchers have been William Macewen (1848–1924), and William W. Keen (1837–1932). [41]
Improvements in meningioma research and treatment over the last century have occurred in terms of the surgical techniques for removal of the tumor, and related improvements in anesthesia, antiseptic methods, techniques to control blood loss, better ability to determine which tumors are and are not operable, [44] and to effectively differentiate between the different meningioma subtypes. [45]
A brain tumor occurs when abnormal cells form within the brain. There are two main types of tumors: malignant (cancerous) tumors and benign (non-cancerous) tumors. These can be further classified as primary tumors, which start within the brain, and secondary tumors, which most commonly have spread from tumors located outside the brain, known as brain metastasis tumors. All types of brain tumors may produce symptoms that vary depending on the size of the tumor and the part of the brain that is involved. Where symptoms exist, they may include headaches, seizures, problems with vision, vomiting and mental changes. Other symptoms may include difficulty walking, speaking, with sensations, or unconsciousness.
A glioma is a type of primary tumor that starts in the glial cells of the brain or spinal cord. They are cancerous but some are extremely slow to develop. Gliomas comprise about 30 percent of all brain tumors and central nervous system tumours, and 80 percent of all malignant brain tumours.
Spinal tumors are neoplasms located in either the vertebral column or the spinal cord. There are three main types of spinal tumors classified based on their location: extradural and intradural. Extradural tumors are located outside the dura mater lining and are most commonly metastatic. Intradural tumors are located inside the dura mater lining and are further subdivided into intramedullary and extramedullary tumors. Intradural-intramedullary tumors are located within the dura and spinal cord parenchyma, while intradural-extramedullary tumors are located within the dura but outside the spinal cord parenchyma. The most common presenting symptom of spinal tumors is nocturnal back pain. Other common symptoms include muscle weakness, sensory loss, and difficulty walking. Loss of bowel and bladder control may occur during the later stages of the disease.
Oligodendrogliomas are a type of glioma that are believed to originate from the oligodendrocytes of the brain or from a glial precursor cell. They occur primarily in adults but are also found in children.
An ependymoma is a tumor that arises from the ependyma, a tissue of the central nervous system. Usually, in pediatric cases the location is intracranial, while in adults it is spinal. The common location of intracranial ependymomas is the floor of the fourth ventricle. Rarely, ependymomas can occur in the pelvic cavity.
Glioblastoma, previously known as glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), is the most aggressive and most common type of cancer that originates in the brain, and has a very poor prognosis for survival. Initial signs and symptoms of glioblastoma are nonspecific. They may include headaches, personality changes, nausea, and symptoms similar to those of a stroke. Symptoms often worsen rapidly and may progress to unconsciousness.
A hemangiopericytoma is a type of soft-tissue sarcoma that originates in the pericytes in the walls of capillaries. When inside the nervous system, although not strictly a meningioma tumor, it is a meningeal tumor with a special aggressive behavior. It was first characterized in 1942.
Pilocytic astrocytoma is a brain tumor that occurs most commonly in children and young adults. They usually arise in the cerebellum, near the brainstem, in the hypothalamic region, or the optic chiasm, but they may occur in any area where astrocytes are present, including the cerebral hemispheres and the spinal cord. These tumors are usually slow growing and benign, corresponding to WHO malignancy grade 1.
A craniopharyngioma is a rare type of brain tumor derived from pituitary gland embryonic tissue that occurs most commonly in children, but also affects adults. It may present at any age, even in the prenatal and neonatal periods, but peak incidence rates are childhood-onset at 5–14 years and adult-onset at 50–74 years. People may present with bitemporal inferior quadrantanopia leading to bitemporal hemianopsia, as the tumor may compress the optic chiasm. It has a point prevalence around two per 1,000,000. Craniopharyngiomas are distinct from Rathke's cleft tumours and intrasellar arachnoid cysts.
A ganglioglioma is a rare, slow-growing primary central nervous system (CNS) tumor which most frequently occurs in the temporal lobes of children and young adults. They are mixed cell tumors containing both neural ganglionic cells and neural glial cell components.
A sphenoid wing meningioma is a benign brain tumor near the sphenoid bone.
Esthesioneuroblastoma is a rare cancer of the nasal cavity. Arising from the upper nasal tract, esthesioneuroblastoma is believed to originate from sensory neuroepithelial cells, also known as neuroectodermal olfactory cells.
Pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma (PXA) is a brain tumor that occurs most frequently in children and teenagers. At Boston Children's Hospital, the average age at diagnosis is 12 years.
Neuro-oncology is the study of brain and spinal cord neoplasms, many of which are very dangerous and life-threatening. Among the malignant brain cancers, gliomas of the brainstem and pons, glioblastoma multiforme, and high-grade astrocytoma/oligodendroglioma are among the worst. In these cases, untreated survival usually amounts to only a few months, and survival with current radiation and chemotherapy treatments may extend that time from around a year to a year and a half, possibly two or more, depending on the patient's condition, immune function, treatments used, and the specific type of malignant brain neoplasm. Surgery may in some cases be curative, but, as a general rule, malignant brain cancers tend to regenerate and emerge from remission easily, especially highly malignant cases. In such cases, the goal is to excise as much of the mass and as much of the tumor margin as possible without endangering vital functions or other important cognitive abilities. The Journal of Neuro-Oncology is the longest continuously published journal in the field and serves as a leading reference to those practicing in the area of neuro-oncology.
Anaplastic astrocytoma is a rare WHO grade III type of astrocytoma, which is a type of cancer of the brain. In the United States, the annual incidence rate for anaplastic astrocytoma is 0.44 per 100,000 people.
Astroblastoma is a rare glial tumor derived from the astroblast, a type of cell that closely resembles spongioblastoma and astrocytes. Astroblastoma cells are most likely found in the supratentorial region of the brain that houses the cerebrum, an area responsible for all voluntary movements in the body. It also occurs significantly in the frontal lobe, parietal lobe, and temporal lobe, areas where movement, language creation, memory perception, and environmental surroundings are expressed. These tumors can be present in major brain areas not associated with the main cerebral hemispheres, including the cerebellum, optic nerve, cauda equina, hypothalamus, and brain stem.
Central neurocytoma (CNC) is an extremely rare, ordinarily benign intraventricular brain tumour that typically forms from the neuronal cells of the septum pellucidum. The majority of central neurocytomas grow inwards into the ventricular system forming interventricular neurocytomas. This leads to two primary symptoms of CNCs, blurred vision and increased intracranial pressure. Treatment for a central neurocytoma typically involves surgical removal, with an approximate 1 in 5 chance of recurrence. Central neurocytomas are classified as a grade II tumor under the World Health Organization's classification of tumors of the nervous system.
William T. Couldwell is a Canadian neurosurgeon who is professor and Chairman of the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Utah, a position he assumed in 2001.
A melanocytoma is a rare pigmented tumor that has been described as a variant of the melanocytic nevus and is derived from the neural crest. The term "melanocytoma" was introduced by Limas and Tio in 1972.
Anaplastic oligodendroglioma is a neuroepithelial tumor which is believed to originate from oligodendrocytes, a cell type of the glia. In the World Health Organization (WHO) classification of brain tumors, anaplastic oligodendrogliomas are classified as grade III. In the course of the disease, it can degenerate into highly malignant oligodendroglioma, grade IV. The vast majority of oligodendrogliomas occur sporadically, without a confirmed cause and without inheritance within a family.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) Last author update: 10 November 2021{{cite journal}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link){{cite journal}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)