Dallas Meningioma Treatment

A meningioma is a tumor that occurs on the meninges, which is the membrane the surround the brain and spine. Meningiomas are the most common type of benign brain tumor. They typically grow very slowly and are usually not cancerous. Though it can take years for a meningioma to cause noticeable symptoms, it is important to have it diagnosed and monitored so that they do not do any significant damage to the brain or nervous system.

Risk Factors

Most meningiomas occur in people between the ages of 30 and 70. Women are twice as likely to develop a meningioma as men, but men are three times as likely to develop a malignant meningioma.

Risk factors for meningioma include:

• Previous radiation treatment
• Obesity
• Having the genetic disorder Neurofibromatosis type 2
• High estrogen
• A history of breast cancer

If you have some of the risk factors for meningioma and start experiencing symptoms such as frequent headaches, changes in vision, or memory loss, then you should ask your doctor about examining you for meningioma.

Do I Need Treatment?

Not all meningiomas need to be removed. Because they are generally small and grow slowly, some meningiomas will never cause any noticeable symptoms. However, you will still want to have regular brain scans to ensure that the tumor does not start growing more than expected.

When treatment is called for, surgery to remove the tumor is the most common approach. At Methodist Moody Brain and Spine Institute, our skilled neurosurgeons are trained in minimally invasive procedures using state-of-the-art technology. We will make sure you are prepared for your surgery and answer any questions you have about the procedure.

Call us at (214) 948-2076 for more information about meningioma surgery.