Early treatment of a meningioma can prevent disability. However, if your tumor is slow growing and does not affect your health, your doctor may choose to observe your tumor at scheduled intervals rather than treat it immediately. Your doctor might schedule you for an MRI every few months, and eventually less frequently, to monitor the tumor's growth.
Meningiomas don't always need to be removed. Ask your physician if conservative management is possible in your case.
If you require surgery, choose a neurosurgeon and surgical team experienced in all courses of meningioma treatment. The Mount Sinai Health System has neurosurgeons and surgical teams experienced in all areas of meningioma treatment.
Meningiomas can usually be surgically resected, meaning to cut off or cut out. The chart below outlines grades and completeness of resection:
|Simpson Grade||Completeness of Resection|
|Grade I||complete removal including resection of underlying bone and associated dura|
|Grade II||complete removal + coagulation of dural attachment|
|Grade III||complete removal w/o resection of dura or coagulation|
"The vast majority of meningiomas are permanently cured by simple and safe surgical removal," says Joshua Bederson, MD, Professor and Chair of Neurosurgery at The Mount Sinai Health System in New York City. "In certain cases, when the tumor involves critical structures, we'll remove 95 to 99 percent of it and observe the rest. If the tumor begins to grow back, radiation can stop its growth."
Ask your doctor if stereotactic radiosurgery is an option, or if minimally invasive or endoscopic-assisted approaches can be used in your case. Surgery and radiation may be used separately or in combination.
A small percentage of meningiomas take a more aggressive course and can recur or convert to a more malignant type of tumor. Treatment options remain the same: surgery and radiation. Chemotherapy may also be appropriate. If your tumor returns, be sure to choose an experienced team that can identify the type of tumor and come up with an appropriate treatment plan.
We can help
For management of your meningioma or that of a loved one, call The Mount Sinai Health System at 212-241-2377 to schedule an appointment. We have extensive experience in diagnosing, evaluating and treating meningiomas and provide a warm and compassionate environment for treatment and healing.
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8th Floor Room 40
New York, NY 10029
When Lloyd Fruhschien was diagnosed with a softball-sized benign brain tumor, he sought out the best possible care at The Mount Sinai Hospital. Learn More