Meningioma: review of the literature with emphasis on the approach to radiotherapy

Abstract

Meningiomas are tumors that arise from arachnoid cap cells, which surround and adhere to the dura mater. Currently, meningiomas comprise 13-30% of primary intracranial tumors and are only less frequent than gliomas. In this article an overview of meningiomas is presented, with brief mention to their epidemiology, clinical presentation, histopathological and imaging features. The main therapies for meningiomas are also presented, focusing on radiation. In this article the authors conclude that the epidemiological, imaging and histopathological features and the clinical presentation of meningiomas are well-defined. Despite the need for randomized trials and larger studies with long median follow-up, radiotherapy can be used as an alternative treatment to surgery either as a first-line treatment or at its recurrence. Various conventional radiotherapy techniques can be employed for residual tumor or at recurrence.