Meningiomas are tumors arising from the outer part of the arachnoid mater in the meninges of the brain or the spinal cord. They can be usually surgically resected, and complete cure is possible. Malignant transformation is rare. The drug hydroxyurea is used in the treatment of meningiomas.
Meningiomas are slow-growing tumors of middle and old age that are usually dome-shaped, with the base lying on the dura. They are most frequently attached to the dura over the parasagittal or free hemispheric convexities, along the sphenoid ridge , in the olfactory grooves, and based on the falx cerebri . Some display a degree of calcification. The symptoms depend closely on the exact location of the tumor. Hence, a meningioma compressing the frontal lobe can give rise to frontal lobe syndrome .
Last updated: 05-16-2005 14:21:45