What to do if meningioma recurs

Meningioma is a common brain tumor with a relatively high incidence rate, and it is very harmful to humans. Generally, when a meningioma occurs, the best treatment is surgical resection, preferably complete resection, and avoidance of recurrence. Of course, some people may not be suitable for surgical treatment. For such patients, radiotherapy can also be used.

What to do if meningioma recurs

1. Surgical resection is the main approach in clinical practice

The main treatment for meningioma in clinical practice is surgical resection. In principle, we should strive for complete resection, as well as removal of the meninges and bones invaded by the tumor, to achieve the goal of radical cure. However, clinically, some patients' tumors invade important blood vessels and nerves and cannot be completely removed, or there is a small amount of residue at the primary site, in which case the tumor is likely to regrow and recur. So, what should you do when meningioma recurs?

Currently, the main treatments for recurrent meningiomas in clinical practice include radiotherapy and re-surgery.

2. Indications for surgery

Whether recurrence of meningioma requires another surgery depends on the patient's age, physical condition, symptoms and signs, etc. The outcome of the surgery is determined by factors such as the patient's age and the location of the tumor. For example, if a parasagittal meningioma recurs, the tumor and the blocked superior sagittal sinus can be removed at the same time during surgery. However, if a recurrent sphenoid ridge meningioma grows into the cavernous sinus, another surgery may be more difficult.

3. Main advantages of radiotherapy

In addition to surgical treatment, radiotherapy can also be performed on patients with recurrent meningioma according to their condition. The main advantage of radiotherapy is that it prolongs the average time to recurrence, but the treatment may cause side effects such as radiation damage and necrosis, so it is only used for patients who have already relapsed. If a patient with meningioma has not had a recurrence but only has the possibility of recurrence, the clinical approach can be flexible, with follow-up established and radiotherapy performed when the patient shows obvious signs of recurrence. In short, the recurrence of meningioma is sometimes a helpless option during surgical resection. However, for patients, compared with identifying the cause, it is more important to respond correctly after relapse, seek medical treatment in time, and cooperate with doctors in treatment.