How much do you know about the diagnosis and treatment of meningioma?

Author: Zhou Jiahua, Tangdu Hospital of Air Force Medical University

Reviewer: Qin Huaizhou, deputy chief physician, Tangdu Hospital, Air Force Medical University

In the human body, the heart and brain are undoubtedly two vital organs. Whether they can function normally is directly related to our health and quality of life. Today, we will focus on a common brain disease - meningioma, and talk about its diagnosis, treatment methods and common complications that may be faced during surgery, so as to help patients better "eliminate tumors and eliminate disadvantages".

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1. What is meningioma?

Most meningiomas, which originate from the epithelial cells of the meninges in the arachnoid layer, are benign. This means they grow slowly, have a long course, and have a high cure rate. However, about 3% of meningiomas are malignant, which grows faster and, as you can imagine, poses a greater threat to health.

2. What are the diagnostic methods for meningioma?

Early diagnosis of meningioma is crucial for treatment. When meningioma is small, patients often have no obvious symptoms, so regular physical examinations are particularly important. When meningioma is suspected, doctors usually perform a series of tests to confirm the diagnosis, including but not limited to the following.

(1) Imaging examinations: such as computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). These examinations can clearly show the location, size, shape of the tumor and its relationship with surrounding tissues, and are important means of diagnosing meningioma.

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(2) Neurological examination: The doctor will check the patient's vision, hearing, motor ability, sensory function, etc. to assess whether the tumor has caused damage to the nervous system.

(3) Pathological examination: For meningiomas suspected to be malignant, the doctor may recommend surgical resection and a pathological examination to determine the nature of the tumor.

3. What are the treatments for meningioma?

Treatment for meningioma depends on the size, location, and growth rate of the tumor, as well as your overall health. Here are some common treatments.

(1) Gamma Knife Treatment: For meningiomas that are small and in a relatively safe location, doctors generally recommend gamma knife treatment. This is a non-invasive treatment method that uses high-energy gamma rays (γ rays) to focus on the tumor, causing it to shrink or become necrotic.

(2) Surgical resection: If the meningioma continues to grow or has caused compression of the nervous system, surgical resection is usually the preferred treatment method. During the operation, the doctor will try to preserve the surrounding normal brain tissue and remove the tumor as completely as possible.

(3) Radiotherapy and chemotherapy: For patients with malignant meningioma or residual tumors after surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy can be used as auxiliary treatments to kill residual tumor cells and reduce the risk of recurrence.

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4. What are the common complications of meningioma surgery?

Although the surgical techniques for meningioma are quite mature, any brain surgery has certain risks. The following are common complications that may occur during meningioma surgery.

(1) Bleeding in the surgical area: Bleeding may occur in the surgical area during or after surgery. Mild bleeding can generally be absorbed on its own, but severe bleeding may require another surgery to stop the bleeding.

(2) Brain edema: Surgery may damage the return veins, leading to brain edema. Brain edema can increase intracranial pressure, which may be life-threatening in severe cases. Therefore, it is necessary to closely monitor the changes in the patient's intracranial pressure after surgery and take appropriate treatment measures.

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(3) Neurological function damage: Surgery may damage the surrounding nerve structures, causing patients to experience neurological function damage symptoms such as decreased vision, hearing loss, and limb movement disorders. These injuries may be permanent or temporary, and patients need postoperative rehabilitation training to promote recovery.

(4) Infection: Although the operating room and the surgical process are strictly disinfected, there is still a risk of infection. Postoperative infection not only affects the surgical effect, but may also cause serious complications. Therefore, patients need to be given adequate and effective antibiotic treatment after surgery, and their condition should be closely monitored.

(5) Recurrence: Although most meningiomas are benign, there is still a certain risk of recurrence. Regular follow-up is required after surgery to monitor whether the tumor recurs.

Although meningioma sounds worrying, there is no need to be afraid of it. As long as we can detect and treat it early, and pay attention to preventing complications during surgery, most patients can achieve good treatment results. At the same time, we should also realize that the treatment of meningioma is not just the doctor's job, but also requires the active cooperation and participation of patients and their families. Only when doctors and patients work together to face the disease can they finally defeat the disease and regain health.