Treatment For Meningioma

Surgery

Various surgical procedures may be performed on meningioma depending on the size of the tumor and where it is located. As stated in an article published by Weill Cornell Brain and Spine Center, these types of surgery are best performed by trained neurosurgeons who have experience in treating meningioma and other forms of brain tumors. In most cases, a biopsy will be conducted before surgically removing the tumor. In some instances, the biopsy may be done at the same time as the removal surgery. Using traditional surgical methods (known as resection), the surgeon will remove as much of the tumor as possible.

Chemotherapy

Although chemotherapy, is not a common treatment for meningioma, it can be beneficial in some cases. Instances in which it may be used to treat meningioma include patients who do not want to undergo surgical procedures and cases in which the tumor cannot be safely removed because it is too close to the spinal chord. Traditional chemotherapy destroys any abnormal, rapidly reproducing cells. However, since meningioma develops slowly, traditional is not always effective. Because of this, new drugs such as Sandostatin, hydroxyurea, or Interferon-alpha 2B are used instead.