CNS Oncology (Jun 2021)

Meningioma: not always a benign tumor. A review of advances in the treatment of meningiomas

  • Ilaria Maggio,
  • Enrico Franceschi,
  • Alicia Tosoni,
  • Vincenzo Di Nunno,
  • Lidia Gatto,
  • Raffaele Lodi,
  • Alba A Brandes

DOI
https://doi.org/10.2217/cns-2021-0003
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 10, no. 2

Abstract

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Meningiomas are the most common primary intracranial tumors. The majority of meningiomas are benign, but they can present different grades of dedifferentiation from grade I to grade III (anaplastic/malignant) that are associated with different outcomes. Radiological surveillance is a valid option for low-grade asymptomatic meningiomas. In other cases, the treatment is usually surgical, aimed at achieving a complete resection. The use of adjuvant radiotherapy is the gold standard for grade III, is debated for grade II and is not generally indicated for radically resected grade I meningiomas. The use of systemic treatments is not standardized. Here we report a review of the literature on the clinical, radiological and molecular characteristics of meningiomas, available treatment strategies and ongoing clinical trials.

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