How meningioma is treated

  The treatment of meningioma varies according to its size, growth location and growth characteristics.  1.Conservative treatment: For tumor diameter less than 1cm, or multiple small meningiomas, asymptomatic patients can be temporarily observed, and regular review of cranial CT or MRI.  2.Surgical treatment: After meningioma is diagnosed, surgical resection is the main treatment. In principle, complete resection and removal of meninges and bone invaded by the tumor should be pursued, so as to achieve radical cure. However, some advanced meningiomas, especially deep meningiomas, are huge and have large adhesions with nerves, blood vessels, brainstem and lower thalamus, or these nerves and blood vessels are not easily separated, so they cannot be completely resected, so they can only be subtotal resected to reduce the volume of tumor, supplemented by decompression surgery to reduce the pressure of tumor on brain tissue and relieve intracranial pressure, or treated by staged surgery. For advanced tumors that cannot be removed surgically, only decompressive surgery can be performed to prolong life after biopsy of the tumor tissue.  Currently, there are five internationally accepted levels of surgical resection for meningioma, or the Simpson grading system: Level 1: total resection of the tumor with dura and damaged skull removed; Level 2: total resection of the tumor with electrocoagulation of the dura; Level 3: total resection of the tumor with no treatment of the dura; Level 4: partial resection of the tumor; Level 5: biopsy and decompression alone.  The blood supply of larger meningiomas is mostly dual, with blood supply from outside the brain as well as from the brain, which often bleeds violently during surgery, especially for huge and very rich meningiomas. The main blood supply artery embolization to reduce intraoperative bleeding.  Gamma knife treatment: Gamma knife has a certain control effect on the growth of meningioma, but it is not the first choice because the tumor will not disappear after treatment, only the growth rate has slowed down, and it may bring damage to the surrounding normal nerve tissue, therefore, it is only chosen when the tumor diameter is less than 3 cm, the location is deep and not suitable for surgical removal, or the patient is old and in poor physical condition and cannot bear the surgical blow.  4. For malignant meningioma, surgery can be supplemented with radiotherapy to reduce the recurrence rate.  Most meningiomas do not recur and are cured after total meningioma resection. The recurrence rate of benign meningioma is 5-15% within 10 years after total meningioma resection, the recurrence rate of atypical meningioma is 38% in 5 years, and the recurrence rate of malignant meningioma is as high as 78% in 5 years, and the more malignant it is, the higher its recurrence rate after surgery.