Meningioma, a Brain Tumor, Impacts Women More than Men

While meningioma, a tumor inside the head, is usually benign, there are interesting symptoms that you should be aware of.

A meningioma grows inside the membrane that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. It’s the most common type of tumor in the head.

According to Jon I. McIver, M.D., an experienced neurosurgeon with The Minimally Invasive Brain and Spine Center at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland, he sees the tumors in more women than men. While experts aren’t exactly sure why, McIver said they believe it has something to do with hormones.

The meningioma is usually found because of something else that happens, such as a car accident. Patients are usually asymptomatic.

“It can be difficult to detect them until they reach a large size,” Dr. McIver said. “So, another way of presentation is that a person starts to have personality changes, [but] this is… not common. Most of the time, it’s incidental. You find it because of something else, but other times, it can cause changes in your body’s function—whether it’s personality, whether it’s movement, headaches, seizures. But that’s the challenge with meningioma because they don’t grow rapidly. Usually, they grow slowly. And the changes can be subtle and sometimes difficult to detect.”

Other symptoms include changes in vision, hearing loss, loss of smell, limb weakness, and trouble speaking.

In terms of treatment, sometimes, it is as simple as observation, Dr. McIver explained. From there, there may be focused radiation. Medication is an option, as is surgical removal.

Treatment is usually effective and while there’s a chance for recurrence, it isn’t common.

View Mercy neurosurgeon Dr. Jon McIver’s interview regarding meningiomas in women.